Heaven Doesnt Want Me, Hell's Afriad I'd Take Over
by Kira The Forgotten
Summary: A demon thought dead comes back, the spirit world is falling to peices and a new demon is trying to take over all three worlds. What the hell is going on! Hiei/OC better summary inside. BotonOC
1. Chapter 01: The Return of Okibi Dokuja

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Summary

A demon believed to be dead for thousands of years has come back. Her younger sister strives to conquer all three worlds and she's forced conceive to the child. The Sprirt World is working as hard as it can to prevent the expected take over, but who will help them when they need it the most? Hiei/OC

Chapter 1

Deep within the Makai the Koumajutsu kingdom buzzed with activity. Inside a woman looking no more then fifteen or sixteen walked briskly into the maze like caverns many miles below the castle. She walked with a definite porpoise that made the three guards behind her giddy in anticipation. She lead them to a doorway well over twelve feet tall and ten feet wide. She pulled open a smaller door and walked in to find three doctors inside waiting along the far wall, away from anything in the room.

"Are you ready?" She snapped at the doctors, harsher then she meant, "I want to get this part over with." They nodded vigorously each with a gleam of excitement in their eyes.

"Good." She walked to the center of the room and stared down at the complex seal in the center of the floor. She drew a small knife from her boots and made a swift but small cut on her palm. She let the blood drip onto the seal and smirked triumphantly as the seal glowed neon blue. She took a quick step back as overwhelming demonic energy erupted from the broken seal. The seal its self broke into four and slid away under the floor.

The woman waited until the seal had disappeared from sight until she stepped over to the newly created hole and watched with eager fascination as a long coffin slid up from the hole and leveled out two feet above the stone floor. She waited a second before signaling her guards to remove the lid. As soon as it was off another wave of demonic energy crashed over them. The guards were thrown into the far wall and the woman took a step back to regain her balance. The doctors had braced them selves against the wall before impact.

"So this is what is left of the once great Okibi Dokuja also known as Shien. It's amazing what times does to you." She glanced down at the body inside the coffin.

The body was decayed. Bones were black with age and the rib cage had closed in on its self. Knee length white hair spilled out around the body. No clothes were on the corpse as the doctors eagerly walked forward to examine the body.

"Well?" The woman snapped putting her hands on her hips. "Can it be done?"

"Oh yes, The soul is still very much alive and attached to the body. It seams as though she is trying to stop being brought back by letting her body rot, but that won't be a problem at all. And since it's rotted it will be much easier to add the suppressants you wanted." One of the doctors said not taking his eyes from the corpse.

"Truly magnificent." One of them breathed, "To be able to operate on a youkai like this. Truly a honor." The woman smirked.

"Well then I expect you to start immediately. Since she is in better condition then you thought it will take no longer then an hour or has the time changed?"

"No more then an hour maybe forty five minutes." The doctor first doctor said rubbing his hands together and signaling the other doctors to start. "You can watch if you want."

The woman nodded signaling her approval.

She watched carefully as the doctors produced shiny silver metal bands that wrapped around the corpse's wrists and stomach. Almost instantly the demonic energy flowing from the body nearly disappeared. Her stomach clenched into a tight knot thinking too much of the energy had been surpressed.

"Her energy was well beyond that of an S-class demon. We are forced to lower the level to below D-class at least until we get the muscles reformed. We apologize for this set back. The energy will go back up to the maximum of low A-class when we release the extra restraint." A doctor said, watching the hands of his companions glow a dull yellow.

Minutes passed and stretched into a half-hour as the body started to knit back together under the doctors' fingers. Muscles once lost redeveloped, organs reformed and started working, the heart once remade pumped strongly as the doctors made every effort not to mess up. Skin formed over the body, pale but healthy. The body became a woman's body and held a unearthly beauty. The ears were sharply pointed like an elf's; teeth resembled fangs visible through her parted lip. The once white hair turned jet black with a healthy sheen. Her chest rose and fell as her body finished recovering. The doctors produced more metal bands and applied them to the finished body, exactly where they were under the healthy skin.

"There, she's fully recovered, she's just sleeping as her organs settle back into their routines." The doctor said unable to hide his smile of triumph. The girls demonic aura had risen again and was that of a low A-class demon, still far away from the earlier display of power. "If you call her name, she will wake."

"Okibi Dokuja!" The woman called as the doctors fled from the sides of the tomb. The girl inside the coffin took in a huge shuddering breath as her sky blue eyes snapped open. She sat up and glared at the woman who called her name baring her fangs.

"Who dares come into my chambers?" She demanded fiercely. The guards took an involuntary step back from the venom dripping from her voice. They stared as the two females glared heatedly at each other. Both obviously used to being in control and having their orders followed with obedience.

"I'm Kiriai Toukenshou your younger sister and now Master." Kiriai said with confidence.

"Okibi Dokuja, but you must already know that. I also go by Shien and Ki, but what makes you think you are my master whelp?" Ki climbed out of her coffin with little difficulty and stood unashamed in front of the group in front of her.

"Because you are forced to obey me." Kiriai snarled, anger building up as the older woman in front of her still seamed not to believe her. "Bow to your new Master!"

Ki stiffened as she body fought with her mind for a moment before it bowed to Kiriei. "What witchery is this!" She demanded as her body continued to betray her.

"You're a thousand years behind the times aneki-san." Kiriei said smugly, "Your kind has died out unfortunately but, when you who has instilled fear into the hearts of even the most battle hardened demons and King Enma himself, was just sleeping in my basement. I had no more reason to think that my plan to conquer all three worlds will fail." She walked directly in front of her sister, "And you're going to help me achieve that goal."

"Boys, we have an emergency!" Koenma yelled at his spirit detectives as they filled into his office one by one, "Demon villages normally somewhat peaceful by demon standards are being whipped out as they try to oppose Kiriai."

"So what's new about that? It's been happening for months now." Yusuke asked, "We've been stopping some of the attacks but what's the big deal?"

"There has been a new demon among their ranks. One whose powers have me worried. All of our reports say this demon is too far behind in knowledge of current technology to have been living only under a rock. Other reports say that this demon's aura resonates with a power so old primal it's been thousands of years since anyone has felt that power. Almost since the beginning of time, and it's impossible that a demon alive today could have that kind of power." Koenma said lacing his fingers together on his desk.

"I need you to fight this demon and see if it's a fake power or if it's very much real." The group nodded and Koenma summoned a portal, "This will take you to the village they are currently destroying. Be careful."

The group went through the portal without hesitation and found them selves among chaos that could only be found in the demon world. Hiei's eyes lit up as he smelled the blood and fear that was swirling around them in an uncontrolled mass. Hie demonic side was loving everything that was going on around him and he'd be damned if he'd deny it.

Demons on horse back thundered around laughing maliciously as they slaughtered those around them in panic. One demon also on horse back waited at the top of a hill bored even with the swirl of chaos that was happening just below her. She watched suddenly amused as four new comers charged into the fray killing her men with effective swiftness that made the survivors surge around her as soon as they could, using her as a shield.

"Well?" She demanded clenching her reigns tightly in anticipation.

"They are the Spirit Detectives under Koenma's control. They are the ones who won in the last Dark Tournament." A Demon answered for her eyeing the detectives with a hint of fear.

"Don't talk as if I would know what anything you just said made sense. Are they a good fight?" The demons surrounding he all nodded their heads vigorously. "Good, stay here then." She kicked her horse into motion and trotted into the burning mass that was once a village. She unsheathed a sword that was on her back and when she knew the detectives were watching, decapitated a old demon man as he walked much to close to her.

"Who the hell are you!" Yusuke shouted enraged at her lack of care. She had just killed a demon without blinking.

"Human born, hanyou by the looks of it, I'm surprised you haven't been slaughtered yet." She dismounted her horse and gave them all a searching gaze that was hidden behind her hood. "But then again the world has changed, especially the language."

"What the hell!" Kuwabara yelled, "The aura coming from her is so strong but it feels like it's being repressed!"

"Smart for a ningen." She hissed, "I wonder if the demons of this time have grown weak as well?" She launched herself at Kurama who was thrown backwards as he attempted to block her charge. He got back to his feet almost immediately, making her smile.

"No wonder my race died out, our pride must have gotten the better of us. To bad I didn't get the chance to witness the what must have been great battles between them and other demons." Her fangs glinted, "That is if they were taken down by demons of your skill level."

"If you wanna fight Lady, you got one!" Yusuke shouted charging her ready for the fight of his life.

Koumajatsu - summoning demons

Okibi - blazing fire

Dokuja - poisonous serpent

Shein - Purple smoke.

Kiriai - fighting with swords

Toukenshou - sword dealer

Aneki - older sister

"If you wanna fight Lady, you got one!" Yusuke shouted charging her ready for the fight of his life. She glanced at him and side stepped swiftly before vanishing. Kuwabara fell to the ground unconscious within a second and she faced her remaining three opponents.

"Humans are pathetic creatures. Hanyous aren't much better, but this is a new time. If you're still alive then you must be worth some kind of fight." She ran at Yusuke shocking him with her speed but still managed to barely block all of her punches. He was giving ground much to quickly and found himself flat on his back staring up into the sky blue eyes of his opponent.

"Who are you?" Yusuke choked out as she slowly closed off his windpipe with her foot.

She flashed her fangs. "Tell King Enma if the Spirit World Okibi Dokuja, is pissed and wants to talk." She knelt down to his ear, "Let's keep that between you and me though shall we?" Yusuke didn't have the chance to reply before she had knocked him out. She was knocked off her feet before she could straighten to her full height. She hit the dirt hard, rolling onto her feet easily and faced her opponent.

"Kurama, take care of Yusuke." Hiei ordered holding his blade ready. Ki laughed quietly drawing the pair of swords strapped to her back in an 'x' shape. Her sky blue eyes locked onto his crimson ones before they shot at each other at blinding speeds.

The demons watching could only see the sparks of their blades when the cold metal clashed violently. Ki quickly realized Hiei's physical strength easily surpassed hers, but he lacked her ability to read sword movements and skill and the experience that came with it. She locked her blade with his purposely, catching him off guard. Hiei started to lean his weight on the sword meaning to push Ki back. She let her arm fall suddenly, Hiei falling with it, off balance. Her second sword flashed as it was brought up in a smooth arc across Hiei's chest. He fell back bleeding heavily from the fresh wound.

She felt a pang in her chest, sharp and painful as she watched Hiei's pain grow when he stood in attempt to keep fighting. Her swords seamed to sheath themselves and she knelt in the dirt placing her hands before her watching him carefully.

"Tell me, do you believe in shape shifters?" Ki asked a cruel smile tugging at her lips.

"They are extinct." Hiei spat watching every move she made, unable to understand why she was asking him this.

"Well, then consider me a blast from the past." Ki said, her voice turning into a low growl as her body started to take on another form. It swelled and grew, tail, wings, and horns formed. Her neck and spine stretched to seemingly impossible lengths. With a purr of satisfaction she faced Hiei, trails of smoke drifting from her nostrils.

Hiei's expression shifted to one of awe as he stared at the blue dragon in front of him. Upon further examination he found that her scales were actually many different colors that changed rapidly, and blue being the most often appeared to be the color of her scales.

__

"This feels good. After so long, being able to change is a blessing."

Ki purred in her mind, sending the thought to Hiei as well. _"Come Fire youkai, let us finish this." _Hiei straightened a determined gleam in his eye. 

Kurama quickly called Koenma for a portal and dragged Yusuke and Kuwabara through it before the demon's on the hill caught onto him. Koenma raced to meet him at the infirmary where everyone was being checked out.

"Well!" Koenma blurted shaking as he stared at Kurama's face expectantly.

"I don't know, our attacker was a female. She knocked Kuwa and Yusuke our far to quickly to obtain any real information. She spoke to Yusuke though and he seamed to be unnerved by it. Hiei is covering our escape. " Kurama explained hastily, "We need to go back and get Hiei, I fear she might be too much for him."

Koenma nodded and opened a portal for Kurama, the pair left through quickly, in attempt to rush to their friends aid. Koenma nearly passed out at the site in front of him. A large blue dragon had Hiei pinned beneath its claws, helpless. The dragon roared it's victory and shrank, changing back into the form of a woman. She nelt next to Hiei's head and brushed his cheek almost lovingly before moving her hand down his neck.

"Stop!" Kurama shouted getting her attention at the same time her band of demons rode up behind her.

"Lady Kiriai wants us back." The demons said handing her a horse. The gleam in her eye that came from victory vanished and her face cooled over like it was chiseled from ice. She mounted her horse and took a quick glance at Hiei before leading her demons away at a thundering pace.

"Hiei!" Koenma called as the fire youkai struggled to re gain consciousness.

"Where did she-? Why am I not dead?" Hiei demanded as Kurama helped him up.

Koenma lead them through a portal asking Hiei questions, "Did you wan tot die?"

"NO you fool! I should be dead, but she spared me obviously. I thought I had the battle won until, she changed on me. I thought shape shifters were extinct."

"Did you get a name?" Koenma asked and the room fell dead silent.

"H-hai." A voice croaked weakly. Everyone faced Yusuke shocked and wanting the answer. "She told me to tell King Enma that Okibi Dokuja is pissed and wants to talk. I think she was referring to herself."

Koenma's face turned sheet white he staggered backwards away from Yusuke, "No she's been dead for thousands of years! BOTON!"

The blue hared ferry girl popped up next to him instantly, "Yes?"

"Bring up every file you can on Okibi Dokuja, also known as Shien. Every single damn scrap of paper. Don't leave anything out. And have George bring me files on recent energy spikes in the makai." Koenma ordered and he faced his detectives, "We had better hope she was lying. Excuse me." He fled the room toward hi office.

"Okibi Dokuja?" Yusuke asked confused and rubbing his throbbing head. "Why is she so important?"

"I don't know Yusuke." Kurama muttered.

Kiriai back handed Ki hard enough to send her to the floor, her face flushed with anger. She toward over Ki, kicking her in the side as she tried to get up. "No one told you to shift into your dragon form! I thought I told you not to do that! You could have just given your self away! Damn it I have to rethink everything." She glared at Ki hard her mind spinning, going through every option she had.

"My Lady, maybe we can use this to our advantage. The Spirit world is already about to crack under our forces. If we call a banner of truce and present their options; while telling them about Okibi-san they might crack." Kiriai thought over the option carefully a slow smile spreading across her lips as she faced her second in command.

"That kind of thinking will keep you alive longer," she said and faced Ki who had stood up again and was watching Kiriai with anger blazing behind her eyes. "Well maybe you aren't such a screw up after all aneki-chan."

Ki bared her teeth, "When I find a way to break these bonds you put on me, I swear I'll rip you apart."

"But Dragons can't kill their own kin, you'd die yourself along with me." Kiriai hissed.

"I have never found my soul mate, my dream was destroyed long ago so that I no longer have one. I no longer fear death for I have died once before," Her icy gaze pierced Kiriai's soul. "Besides I'm the last of my kind. I no longer have a place in this world."

"S-surely you fear what Satan could do to you!" Kiriai's second in command shouted taking a step back.

Ki smiled evily watching him from the corner of her eyes, turning her face just enough so he could see her smile. "I have no reason to fear my own father?"


	2. Chapter 02: Satan

Chapter 2

"If you wanna fight Lady, you got one!" Yusuke shouted charging her ready for the fight of his life. She glanced at him and side stepped swiftly before vanishing. Kuwabara fell to the ground unconscious within a second and she faced her remaining three opponents.

"Humans are pathetic creatures. Hanyous aren't much better, but this is a new time. If you're still alive then you must be worth some kind of fight." She ran at Yusuke shocking him with her speed but still managed to barely block all of her punches. He was giving ground much to quickly and found himself flat on his back staring up into the sky blue eyes of his opponent.

"Who are you?" Yusuke choked out as she slowly closed off his windpipe with her foot.

She flashed her fangs. "Tell King Enma if the Spirit World Okibi Dokuja, is pissed and wants to talk." She knelt down to his ear, "Let's keep that between you and me though shall we?" Yusuke didn't have the chance to reply before she had knocked him out. She was knocked off her feet before she could straighten to her full height. She hit the dirt hard, rolling onto her feet easily and faced her opponent.

"Kurama, take care of Yusuke." Hiei ordered holding his blade ready. Ki laughed quietly drawing the pair of swords strapped to her back in an 'x' shape. Her sky blue eyes locked onto his crimson ones before they shot at each other at blinding speeds.

The demons watching could only see the sparks of their blades when the cold metal clashed violently. Ki quickly realized Hiei's physical strength easily surpassed hers, but he lacked her ability to read sword movements and skill and the experience that came with it. She locked her blade with his purposely, catching him off guard. Hiei started to lean his weight on the sword meaning to push Ki back. She let her arm fall suddenly, Hiei falling with it, off balance. Her second sword flashed as it was brought up in a smooth arc across Hiei's chest. He fell back bleeding heavily from the fresh wound.

She felt a pang in her chest, sharp and painful as she watched Hiei's pain grow when he stood in attempt to keep fighting. Her swords seamed to sheath themselves and she knelt in the dirt placing her hands before her watching him carefully.

"Tell me, do you believe in shape shifters?" Ki asked a cruel smile tugging at her lips.

"They are extinct." Hiei spat watching every move she made, unable to understand why she was asking him this.

"Well, then consider me a blast from the past." Ki said, her voice turning into a low growl as her body started to take on another form. It swelled and grew, tail, wings, and horns formed. Her neck and spine stretched to seemingly impossible lengths. With a purr of satisfaction she faced Hiei, trails of smoke drifting from her nostrils.

Hiei's expression shifted to one of awe as he stared at the blue dragon in front of him. Upon further examination he found that her scales were actually many different colors that changed rapidly, and blue being the most often appeared to be the color of her scales.

_"This feels good. After so long, being able to change is a blessing." _Ki purred in her mind, sending the thought to Hiei as well. _"Come Fire youkai, let us finish this." _Hiei straightened a determined gleam in his eye.

Kurama quickly called Koenma for a portal and dragged Yusuke and Kuwabara through it before the demon's on the hill caught onto him. Koenma raced to meet him at the infirmary where everyone was being checked out.

"Well!" Koenma blurted shaking as he stared at Kurama's face expectantly.

"I don't know, our attacker was a female. She knocked Kuwa and Yusuke our far to quickly to obtain any real information. She spoke to Yusuke though and he seamed to be unnerved by it. Hiei is covering our escape. " Kurama explained hastily, "We need to go back and get Hiei, I fear she might be too much for him."

Koenma nodded and opened a portal for Kurama, the pair left through quickly, in attempt to rush to their friends aid. Koenma nearly passed out at the site in front of him. A large blue dragon had Hiei pinned beneath its claws, helpless. The dragon roared it's victory and shrank, changing back into the form of a woman. She nelt next to Hiei's head and brushed his cheek almost lovingly before moving her hand down his neck.

"Stop!" Kurama shouted getting her attention at the same time her band of demons rode up behind her.

"Lady Kiriai wants us back." The demons said handing her a horse. The gleam in her eye that came from victory vanished and her face cooled over like it was chiseled from ice. She mounted her horse and took a quick glance at Hiei before leading her demons away at a thundering pace.

"Hiei!" Koenma called as the fire youkai struggled to re gain consciousness.

"Where did she-? Why am I not dead?" Hiei demanded as Kurama helped him up.

Koenma lead them through a portal asking Hiei questions, "Did you wan tot die?"

"NO you fool! I should be dead, but she spared me obviously. I thought I had the battle won until, she changed on me. I thought shape shifters were extinct."

"Did you get a name?" Koenma asked and the room fell dead silent.

"H-hai." A voice croaked weakly. Everyone faced Yusuke shocked and wanting the answer. "She told me to tell King Enma that Okibi Dokuja is pissed and wants to talk. I think she was referring to herself."

Koenma's face turned sheet white he staggered backwards away from Yusuke, "No she's been dead for thousands of years! BOTON!"

The blue hared ferry girl popped up next to him instantly, "Yes?"

"Bring up every file you can on Okibi Dokuja, also known as Shien. Every single damn scrap of paper. Don't leave anything out. And have George bring me files on recent energy spikes in the makai." Koenma ordered and he faced his detectives, "We had better hope she was lying. Excuse me." He fled the room toward hi office.

"Okibi Dokuja?" Yusuke asked confused and rubbing his throbbing head. "Why is she so important?"

"I don't know Yusuke." Kurama muttered.

Kiriai back handed Ki hard enough to send her to the floor, her face flushed with anger. She toward over Ki, kicking her in the side as she tried to get up. "No one told you to shift into your dragon form! I thought I told you not to do that! You could have just given your self away! Damn it I have to rethink everything." She glared at Ki hard her mind spinning, going through every option she had.

"My Lady, maybe we can use this to our advantage. The Spirit world is already about to crack under our forces. If we call a banner of truce and present their options; while telling them about Okibi-san they might crack." Kiriai thought over the option carefully a slow smile spreading across her lips as she faced her second in command.

"That kind of thinking will keep you alive longer," she said and faced Ki who had stood up again and was watching Kiriai with anger blazing behind her eyes. "Well maybe you aren't such a screw up after all aneki-chan."

Ki bared her teeth, "When I find a way to break these bonds you put on me, I swear I'll rip you apart."

"But Dragons can't kill their own kin, you'd die yourself along with me." Kiriai hissed.

"I have never found my soul mate, my dream was destroyed long ago so that I no longer have one. I no longer fear death for I have died once before," Her icy gaze pierced Kiriai's soul. "Besides I'm the last of my kind. I no longer have a place in this world."

"S-surely you fear what Satan could do to you!" Kiriai's second in command shouted taking a step back.

Ki smiled evily watching him from the corner of her eyes, turning her face just enough so he could see her smile. "I have no reason to fear my own father?"


	3. Chapter 03: Truth Behind the Legend

Chapter 3

Kiriai smiled to herself as demon and spiritual being walked into her castle. Their bodyguards tense and armed to the teeth. She could tell that each of them was shocked by the lack of armed guards she had roaming the place. Of course they were well hidden but they didn't know that. Kiriai watched Ki from h corner of her eye, the only protection she had near her if anyone decided to double cross her. Every demon here was under the impression she was calling for peace. Each of them has refused to join her side in the fight for the demon world and she intends to make them pay. Cameras where set up around the room to give her soldiers a warning of what could happen if they crossed her, not that they would. But it also let them watch for the first sign of violence against her so they could jump in at a seconds notice.

Ki stood behind Kiriai jaw clenched so hard it had popped several times in the last five minutes. Even locked in her room for a week straight she couldn't get the boy who fought her out of her head. '_What was his name? Oh, I remember now it was Hiei'. _Ki was having a hard time getting him out of her head, especially his eyes. No one she could remember has ever had such beautiful crimson eyes before. _'Why didn't I kill him, it would have been easy. Now the thought of fighting him again tortures me. No one has had speed that could match mine before, nor fight on almost equal levels with me.' _She inhaled deeply trying to calm the nerves in her stomach that came with the thought of Hiei.

Ki snapped to attention when Kiriai ordered her to shut the doors. Forced to obey she closed them harder then needed and the bang the issued silenced the demons in the room. Like a lost puppy she followed Kiriai around the room and stood behind her chair waiting for the blood to start to spill.

"Well now, some of you must be furious with the attacks on your villages." Kiriai smirked inwardly at the reactions she won. "But I must say it's hard to control a demon so much older and stronger then any other in this room. Even by demon standards she should be old and weak. All of you know your history correct? Or at least the legend of Okibi Dokuja."

"Oh course we do! Every demon child knows of that legend. Mothers use it to threaten babes into going to bed at night." A demon snarled, "Besides we aren't here to talk of old wives tails, we are here to discuss this war you started!" Many demons shouted their aproval.

Kiriai held up a hand in silence, "True, but that particular legend, how many of you know the true story behind it? It has been altered so many times during the last thousand years." No one answered at all. "As many of you know if you do your research on your enemy I spent all of my free time looking for the truth on this subject. I found that Okibi Dokuja really did exist. And searching her family tree, she is my older sister." Many demons snorted in disbelief. "But she really was the first demon to try and take over all three worlds. And by far she has been the first and the closest to do it. All of her battles were described as gory and so blood filled it could make your dead ancestors wake up and scream.

"It did not take long for her to gain control over the demon world. She was easily the strongest shape shifter alive. Not to mention she had her own private army of Hell Hounds that did everything she said, only obeying her. She instilled fear into everyone, just by glaring at them if needed." Ki took a deep shaky breath, mind taking her back into the battles and times Kiriai was talking about. "King Enma of the Spirit world was into his three hundredth year of his reign and was struggling to keep a firm hand on the demons that worked under him. His own armies marched out into battle against Okibi's and were mercilessly destroyed. Coming back torn and bloodly not even half survived, only the cowards who were smart enough to leave before scouts could track them down.

"During those battles it was then that Okibi won the nickname Shien, meaning purple smoke. Whenever she was angry, I mean truly angry purple smoke would surround her armies and those they were fighting, and inhaling it killed her enemies, it also killed those who were not truly loyal to her. I mean those who would side with the spirit world given a chance, those to weak hearted to kill other demons. So her armies grew stronger and larger as she personally advanced them into the spirit world. Crashing down upon it like a wave of death. She sought out Enma himself after killing the late king before him. To soon I'm afraid. The non-stop battles had given her many injuries an were slowing her down. Yet she still chose to pursue a fight with Enma."

Everyone in the room was hanging onto her every word. She read their faces carefully knowing Ki behind her was also listening closely. Her commanders close by had heard this story many times before were busy recruiting the bodyguards that were supposed to be protecting the demons in front of them. The rebel soldiers would flee and those unsure would join her cause as soon as their Lords were taken care of.

"Well! How did she fail!" Kiriai smiled maliciously sending a chill down the spine of those in front of her.

"She made a fatal mistake and forgot the strange power of Enma's sword. The one that takes and gives life. Enma and Okbi fought for six days straight. Even Okibi could feel the need for rest and the pain of battle was getting to her. Her shield arm had been shattered under the thunderous blows dealt by so many demons and King Enma. She had lost much blood and the cold stiffness of death was calling her name from the sidelines. Thinking it was an ally, for she had made deals with Satan and called upon the powers of death before; she tried to figure out what they were telling her. That was when she got a nasty shock. It was Enma's discarded sword that was calling her. In a quick movement, as soon as she had turned enough of her attention to the weapon, Enma called it to his hand. She dodged it as it flew to it's master, but wasn't fast enough to avoid the blade as it was run through her middle.

"So she died screaming words of murder and outrage. Though there was one thing that she said that scared Enma. She faced him grinning like someone who had won and knew it ahead of time. She said, _You fool, you may have killed my body but you can't kill my soul. It has belonged to Satan since his seed spurned me in my mother's womb. My Hell Hounds are creating mear shadows of themselves in the human world as we speak. My race of shape shifters will continue to grow proud though they, are they will not forget what you have done here today. So many new species are going to be spurned from my death. My lust for destruction and blood will haunt you and your family for as long as your line rules. No one can stop it now, you will never find true peace in the human world. Demons will be their haunting them in their dreams and in the shadows. Humans and demons will never live in peace._ In a horrified scream of rage Emna threw her body out onto the battle field were everyone could see it. Her armies fled at the sigh of their leaders dead mangled body on the ground. Only those truly loyal to her fought through the mass of demons serving King Enma to get to the body.

"They brought it here were it has been since. Just lying in the basement waiting to be re-awoken. Until I happened to find that detail. Now she is in this room and mostly under my control." Kiriai said, she opened her mouth to say more but Ki cut her off.

"The memories you have awoken. The feeling of fresh blood, covering my body as I killed. It . . . felt so good to kill them . . . It brings back old cravings." Ki focused on the group who were looking terrified. "The sooner this is over . . . the sooner I can get to Enma." Her blood lust permeated the room and several demon got out of their chairs and backed away nervously.

"Well, gentleman I can promise you this. You won't have to deal with a war anymore. You should have followed Mukuro's example and not have come at all.Those of you who decided to join me exit through the door you were told to." A few bodyguards left. Kiriai was pleased with that, their experience would not go to waste here. "Aneki, kill those left over, all of them."

"N-now hold on!" a demon yelled as Ki advanced blood lust clouding her mind so much that she did not care she was following an order from Kiriai. Purple smoke started to cloud the room. Every step she took increased the tension in the room and sent the demons scurrying away from her.

"There was one small problem with Kiriai's story. My smoke doesn't just come when I'm truly angry; it comes when I' just about lost in my blood lust." She roared as her body changed forms so quickly and violently; flames came from her pores and not her mouth. The demons that survived the flames were ripped to undeniable shreds by her claws and teeth.

Kiriai watched the slaughter later in her quarters immensely confident in her victory. "The demon world is now mine. Mukuro doesn't pose a threat anymore. This is going to be a sweet victory." She smiled as the roar of rage from Ki reached her from her room. Her tomb Kiriai said for that was were she was found.

Ki roared, her body that of a dragons as she fought the shackles that had been placed upon her. Fire scorched the walls of her room in her furry. An ace in her soul was steadily growing worse. It had started soon after she had been brought back the first time and grew worse and worse until she tried to kill herself. Each time growing more painful. It was tearing her up inside and she sought to find the reason why. She searched her memories trying to find some clue as to her pain.

_Soulmate_

Ki changed back into her human form were her vocal cords would work. "Since when did I deserve a soulmate. Since when did I deserve love?" Her voice cracked as she sank to the floor wishing for nothing more then to disappear, "Everyone I knew is dead, I have nothing left for me in this world. So why? WHY DOES IT STILL HURT!" She pounded on the floor the old legend filling her mind.

A week later Mukuro glared at her monitor as she recognized Okibi standing behind Kiriai during the "peace" meeting. She was hoping for some hint to her plans, and boy did she find the weapon she was sure Kiriai had been hiding. Mukuro imeaditally made a copy of the video and left to hand deliver the copy to Prince Koenma. She waited patiently in his office as he and the spirit detectives watched the video, almost glued to their seats. When it was over Koenma surveyed his team closly.

"So it was true, the spike of demonic energy was hers. She had been resurrected." Koenma let out a long breath. "My father will not be happy with this news. There is no demon or spiritual being alive today that could bring her down. And my father's illness is taking a severe turn for the worst. This does not look good at all."

"There is also another part of the story that has also slipped past Kiriai. Okibi has come back several times before. They have all been short and almost unnoticed. The last three times I have personally fought her. She was a great asset to my training. She unwittingly taught me how to fight against immeasurable odds." Mukuro said crossing her arms, "But there was something off about her. Something different from what the legends said. She wouldn't kill me. She had plenty of opportunities but she never did. She looked like she was hurting and looking for something or someone."

"Hiei fought her most recently." Koenma said, turning to Hiei, "Would you like to put in some more information?"

Hiei grunted, "I got into her mind at one point. She opened up to speak to me once she changed into her dragon form. She's hurting inside, being alive for so long is making her hurt. That and she harbors a deep desire to slaughter Kiriai." His gaze was glued to the picture frozen on the screen. Okibi was lost in thought. Demons were still coming into the room, and she looked confused. Her bottom lip was jutting out, almost like she was pouting and her eyes were glazed over as she stood to the side away from everyone. "I think she's being forced into this by Kiriai."

_'Why does she plague my mind? Damn she looks almost cute standing like that- did I really just think that! Get a grip Hiei, as far was we know she's an enemy. A dangerous one in fact.' _Hiei mentally slapped himself but didn't stop watching the picture of Okibi on the screen.

Alarms started to go off in Koenma's office, and Koenma panicked. "Damn Okibi's single handedly tryign to break into the spirit world barrier!" Mukuro and took a portal Koenma provided bad to her castle not wanting to get mixed up in this mess. "Boys I need you to go to the barrier and hold her off! I'm sending my best fighter down their to help you!"

"BEST FIGHTER!" Kuwabara yelled confused getting ready to fight with Koenma. Yusuke grabbed him by the ear and pulled him out of the door yelling at him, "We'll figure that out later come on!" The spirit detectives raced to the barrier to find a great blue dragon crashing it's weight against it furiously.

"SPIRIT GUN!" Yusuke shouted firing a blue blast of energy at the dragon's head. It crashed into the side of it's head. The dragon shrugged off the attack and roared in furry at the detectives.

_"Let me in you fools! Your going to cause the death of you own people if you don't let me in! Quickly before Kiriai gets here!" _Ki screamed into Hiei's mind. He ignored her though and lunged with his katana. She swatted him like she would a fly and sent him into the trees. Kurama got his whip around her neck and pulled it tight, distracting her as vines came up from the ground to secure her legs.

Ki roared bellowing flames in Kurama's direction. Her powerful tail caught him as he jumped up and slammed him into the ground. Kuwabara grabbed the end of the whip Kurama had dropped and clung to it even as Ki's powerful wings took her high into the air pulling her legs free. Yusuke took aim with his spirit gun, having been smart enough to stay back out of Ki's reach.

"No Yusuke! If she makes a sudden move in the sky Kuwabara might let go of the whip and he could fall to his death!" Kurama shouted grabbing Yusuke's arm.

"What the hell are we supposed to do then!" Yusuke shouted back, watching his fried hold on for dear life.

Hiei jumped up from the trees and caught onto Ki's tail. He ran up her back quickly and plunged his sword into a small hollow were Ki's winds connect to her shoulders. Her roar of agony actually hurt Hiei. Her clenched his teeth against the thought her pain could hurt him, but he didn't stab her again.

Ki looked behind her, stretching her long neck to figure who had hurt her. She growled at Hiei roughly but didn't do anything else. Not that she had the chance. A figure with wings launched him self straight into her stomach. Ki rolled away from her attacker and her form changed.

She was falling, but so were the people who were hanging onto her. Quickly she drew her sword, and with all the strength she could call upon from her dragon side, slammed the blade into the barrier. She held on as the blade slowed her decent to a full stop and glared at the now five boys heading for her.

The new comer was as tall as the oaf with bright orange hair was. His lilac purple had hair that stood up every witch way in messy spikes and the tips where each black. His stunning silver eyes locked onto her blue ones with determination to take her down. Black wings folded against his back, out of the way but ready if needed.

Ki scoffed and let her dragon side come out some more. Leathery blue wings ripped from her back, making her wince at their stiffness. Ivory fangs replaced the ones she had and slipped past her bottom lip. Her fingers folded into her palms, and re sprouted with deadly claws. Two small ivory horns grew out on her forehead ad she lunged at the weakest. Kuwabara.

He hit the ground, a deep gash cut into his stomach. Yusuke slammed his fist into her jaw as she preformed a beautiful roundhouse kick to the back of Kurama's head. She growled dangerously at him, but let him tend to his friends as she took up into the sky, closely followed by the newest fighter. After ten minutes in the air she new he out matched her flyign abilities, but only by a slim margin.

She landed on the ground in attempt to catch her breath. _'Damn it! I can't fight to my full power when Kiriai is cutting off so much of it.' _Angery thoughts whirled in her head, as she focused entirely on the boy in front of her.

"Spirit Gun!" Ki whirled around just in time to dodge the blast of blue energy and stars eploded behind her eyes as the hilt of Hiei's katana slammed into the back of her head.

"Damn Kiriai." Ki hissed before darkness took her.


	4. Chapter 04: The Dragon

Chapter 4

"Who are you?" Yusuke demanded jabbing his finger into the guys chest. He swatted Yusuke's hand away.

"None of your business detective." He glared at the team as they stood up. Hiei and Yusuke were close to the same height, if you didn't count hair. Kurama was taller ther the two of them and he was a little taller then Kuwabara.

"Great another Hiei." Kuwabara muttered. "The only thing is, I don't think he had poison affect his growth." Hiei glared at Kuwabara murderously.

"Urusai baka. If you know what's good for you." Hiei remembered the side effects of the cure to a poison that had plagued his body. He grew taller and his anger and blood lust were harder to control. "If you hadn't gotten your self captured, I wouldn't have gotten poisoned."

"Let's just get this chick to Koenma before she wakes up okay?" Yusuke said, as Hiei picked up Ki gently, carrying her bridal style up to the castle. The group followed him talking amongst each other.

"My name is Kishin, I don't have a last name so don't ask it." Kishin snapped as Kuwabara opened his mouth. "Look I'm not in a good mood so just get off my case." Yusuke snorted and helped Kurama with Kuwabara. They took him to the hospital as Hiei to Ki to her new prison cell. Kishin met up with Koenma in his office.

"Damn it Kishin! You are now a spirit detective! Get your head out of the clouds and on the here and now. There is nothing you can do for her unless something comes up, and you are not allowed to go watch over her. If they catch you hanging around her, they are going to kill you if they find you. You know this." Koenma said his voice softening, "Your father is a good man but he's bound by the laws of his people. To them you are a mistake, you weren't supposed to be born."

"I know Koenma, I would probably be dead if you didn't help me when you did, but not even my mother's people will let me in. I mean they killed her as soon as they found out what I was, I just barely got away." Kishin's voice could barely be heard by a Boton and Kurama as they eaves dropped. "Damn Koenma you need to keep Boton from eaves dropping on our conversations."

"Yes, yes, yes, whatever." Koenma faced the doors as they swung open. Boton and Kurama tumbled into the room Kishin caught Boton as she fell. She blushed but passed it off for embarrassment. "What are you two doing here?"

"Koenma we need you to come down to the prison block, the guards were beating up Okibi and well Hiei's about to kill them." Kurama said as Koenma screamed, "NANI!" He made a portal and arrived just in time to stop Hiei from cutting through the bars of a cell and killing the guards inside.

Ki's ankled were tied and she was half kneeling between two guards. It was plainly obvious that she as only half conscious so the guards took it upon them selves to "wake" her up. Her writs were tied behind her as well and each guard had a firm hold of her fore arm. A third was pummeling her in the stomach and blood was leaking from the corners of her mouth.

"Stop!" Koenma ordered making the guard freeze. He pointed the guard that was punching Ki, "You go stand out side of the cell." He quickly dismissed the two other guards who looked relieved.

He faced Ki seriously as she was dropped on the ground. She laid there for a minute before pushing herself up into a sitting position.

"Are you here to pound on me to? Or do I get to see Enma yet?" she croaked, voice hoarse. She didn't even bother to look at Koenma.

"I'm afraid my father is ill and can't come to see you." Ki's head shot up to glare at Koenma. "You are Okibi Dokuja also known as Shien correct?"

"Hai, look I can help you if you help me." Ki said, staring Koenma in the eye, "I know what your thinking, 'It's just a bluff. She can't mean it.' Right? I know you have every right not to believe me after what I've done."

"You're responsible for countless lives. Murders hundreds of years of grief. New races that only cause more pain and destruction. You have a lot to answer for, not to mention the murder of my grandfather and attempted murder of my father." Koenma said, "But you have died before and have come back. How and why?"

"Yes I do have a lot of sins to atone for and yes I did die. I went straight to hell as a matter of fact." Boton's eyes widened. "I was doomed to go to hell anyway. I was young and rash my father is Satan so I figured what I did with my life wouldn't matter to where I would end up." Ki laughed bitterly. "My father was scared by the power I had come up with within four hundred years young for any demon. Some of my power was stripped from me and sealed away in a ring, bracelet, necklace, and he told me my soulmate. I scoffed at him furious he was taking away my power. But he wasn't done with me. He sent me back into the world of the living.

"If my friends hadn't recovered my body, I would be a wandering soul without one. I'm sure the Rekai would have destroyed it thoroughly to prevent my coming back." Ki sighed, "After that I made a seal for my tomb, I never activated it until I was sick of living. Each time I fell asleep a friend had died or had been slaughtered. Most of the time I spent hunting their killer down and slaughtering him. Staying out of sight and out of mind, mostly. But the first time I came back I had a friend explain the soulmate thing to me. She said, _Think if a soul as_ two _perfectly interlocking pieces. Then break it apart and give each half to a boy and a girl. Neither of them will be completely whole or happy without each other. It's the flaw among demons and humans that ties us together. The soulmates share pain, love, anger, everything. You can't hide from your soulmate when you find him. Your soul wont let you period. _So I decided to ask a smart ass question. I asked her why no one I knew had found their soulmate and she gave me a smart ass answer, _Because dummy, in the demon world your more likely to get killed before you ever meet your soulmate. And humans are too dumb to see what's right in front of them. _

"So if I can find my soulmate, I can get some of my power back, and maybe he can help me find the rest of it." Ki sighed, her head pounding. "But before I had no luck and the last time I sealed myself away and let my body rot, were as my mind and soul couldn't."

"But what do you need our help with?" Koenma said, almost afraid of her answer.

Ki sighed before clawing apart her ropes and holding out her wrists for Koenma, "Kiriai did something to me before she brought my body back. I have been asleep for too long and know nothing of the technology this era has produced. I need help, I think these might have something to do with it." As Koenma examined the metal bands around her wrists she told him there was another one wrapped around her torso, just below the ribcage.

"So if we get these off of you, you won't be under Kiriai's control, and how would you help us?"

"I can fight. These things are suppressing my energy even further, and some of the guards have rather loose tongues." Ki couldn't help a small smirk coming to her face. "I can get information when I need it. How do you think I got so far in taking over all three worlds?"

"Good point." Ki glared at Kurama from the corner of her eyes as he tried to get closer. He smiled nervously and took a step back. Koenma took a deep breath and walked out of the cell. "I'll think about this immediately. But you're to stay here, Hiei your in charge of guarding her." He glared at the guard who he told to wait out side.

"Attacking an enemy in self defense when said enemy is a prisoner is one thing. But attacking said prisoner, when she was tied up and couldn't attack you or fight back is a whole other matter. We are supposed to be the good guys." Koenma glared at the guard with distaste, recognizing him as the captain of the prison guards. "Hiei you're in charge of his punishment. And you are now stripped of your title as captain. You don't even qualify as a grunt anymore." With that her Boton, Kurama, and Kishin left the prison block.

Hiei faced Ki as she fell to the side, wanting nothing more then to curl up and sleep. Getting out of Kiriai's grasp was harder then she thought it would be. Then fighting the Spirit Detectives took what energy she had left away. Her eyes snapped open as Hiei entered her cell and cut the bonds at her feet.

"Get some water and food." Hiei snapped at the unlucky demon put in his charge. The demon scowled but seeing Hiei's glare scurried off to avoid angering the fire youkai.

Nothing was said between the two as Hiei started to clean her up the best he could. Only after the demon came back with the food did she say anything.

"Why are you doing this?"

"I was told to." Hiei snorted.

"You were put in charge of guarding me, not taking care of me." Ki shot back, wincing slightly as Hiei pushed against the wound in her back, that he himself inflicted.

"If you're going to help us onna, you need to be in the position to fight. Not in the hospital with infected injuries." Hiei said, surprising himself with the calmness in his voice.

It was silent for another long moment. "Don't call me onna, my name is Ki." Hiei grunted in acknowledgement and finished what he was doing quickly before rounding on the guard with a evil glint in his eye.

"So do you think what she said was true?" Yusuke asked crossing his arms doubtfully.

Koenma sighed, "Those bands around her wrists were defiantly suppressing her spirit energy. I could feel it by touching them. Having that much of her power suppressed, it cripples her. She can't fight like she's accustomed to. My father sall your fight and laughed, she's a shadow of what she once was. The skill still shows but she can't get the power she needs to harness it. That is what made her so great. Her power fed her skill and she used them in perfect balance." Koenma sighed, running a hand through his hair.

"If we can release that energy who says she won't double cross us?"

"I don't think she will Yusuke. She's a dragon demon, the elite of shape shifters. And they can't be grouped together without sharing a cause. That was part of the reason that led to their destruction. Okibi held them together, and when she died they felt a strong sense of hay fever and attacked each other. By the time they realized other demons were picking off their race it was too late. There were to few of them to stop it." Kurama said, "And judging from the way she talked about Kiriai, she wants to kill her badly for crippling her."

"How do you know all this Kurama?" Koenma and Yusuke asked surprised.

"Yoko was extremely interested in Okibi's rule. Except he learned from what happened after her death. It was a huge impact on the world today." Kurama said simply, almost as though he was saying the sky was blue.

"But dragons can't kill their own family with out dying themselves." Koenma said.

"I think Okibi is tiered of being among the living. I think that killing Kiriai is her way of repaying her dept."

Kishin - Fierce God

**Author's Note: Don't expect to get three chapters so close to each other again. I had insparation and I'm making up for my week's vacation. And school's going to start for me in two weeks . . . is there a reason why no one is reviewing?**


	5. Chapter 05: A New Home

Chapter 5

"WHERE IS OKIBI!" Kiriai screamed in pure anger. She glared at the walls of Ki's room, the walls were charred but intact. No windows for her to get out of and no way out, she made sure of herself. So how did she get out?

"My Lady, please calm yourself. Many demons here had ancestors that followed Okibi without hesitation and were raised that way as well. If any of them were to find out that she ran away . . ." the guard hesitated for a minute, "They will think she has abandoned us and will try to join her side. If her reputation demands more followers then your army will be less then a fourth of what it is now."

Kiriai punched the wall, leaving a baseball-sized dent and took a deep breath to calm her self. "You're right, unfortunately. Though when I find out where she is, I'm going to beat her to within an inch of her life." Kiriai scowled darkly crossing her arms. "Is there any news of that breeder, what was his name . . . Mouken I think." The guard nodded. "Has he got any Hell Hounds worth buying? Ones who can fight?"

"He says no my Lady, they are too young to be worth anything on the battle field. And he wants to learn more about them; to see if he can speed up the breeding process. He has found that Hell Hounds and Vampires fight each other with incomparable savagery. He thinks there's a genetic link between the two that cause them to hate each other." The guard answered hoping the answer wouldn't spark Kiriai's short temper.

"Fine, tell him to hurry though. I need those dogs as soon as I can get them." Kiriai waved him away, "Dismissed." The guard hurried away to deliver his Lady's message as fast as he could.

_'Now to make my own plans for immortality, I won't be beaten if I can help it.' _Kiriai left the room quickly heading for the library at a comfortable pace. _'This needs to be taken care of quickly, preferably before Okibi is dragged back here for her punishment. I WILL NOT TOLERATE DISOBEDIENCE!' _

"Come on guys, we're going to go tell Okibi our decision." Koenma said, waving over his spirit detectives. They followed him silently, having been lost in their own thoughts as to how they were going to get out of this war with their minds intact. They followed Koenma down to the prison were they almost froze, staring at Hiei and Okibi.

Ki was obviously doing better, Hiei's treatment of her wounds was thorough and didn't leave much for her to be in pain about. But that wasn't why they froze. Hiei was sitting in the cell with her and smirking like they were enjoying a inside joke. It didn't help the fact that he had left his katana and cloak outside the cell doors. Hiei looked relaxed sitting across the room from her, watching the small smile play across her full lips.

"NANI! Hiei what are you doing!" Koenma screeched, noticing his prisoner was wearing no bonds. Both of their faces smoothed over to cool emotionless masks so quickly, Yusuke almost thought they weren't smiling in the first place.

"Hn." Hiei grunted getting up and leaving the cell, kicking the door closed behind him carelessly. "The onna was not going to go anywhere."

"But-!"

"I read her mind, she has no intentions of doing anything that might cause you to doubt why she is here." Hiei snapped, anger bristling. How dare they go against his judgement.

Yusuke grinned despite him self, _'Looks like tri-eye has got him self a girlfriend.' _He thought planning ways to embarrass the former shrimp as soon as the opportunity arises.

Koenma sighed heavily knowing Hiei would not lie about this, more proof that Okibi was trying to go against Kiriai with everything she had. "Fine, anyway Okibi I have agreed to your deal, as long as you join my spirit detective team temporarily. After the war I will find another job for you, to help clear your record." Ki nodded instantly without hesitation.

"Looks like we get a new teammate guys!" Kuwabara shouted pumping his fist into the air.

Kurama smiled a little to himself, "Welcome to the team Okibi."

Ki grimaced at the use of her name, "Please don't call me that, Ki is fine. Okibi is no longer who I am." The guys nodded shrugging, no big deal.

"Oki- I mean Ki." Koenma corrected himself quickly. "In two days I will be ready to examine your bonds closer to get a better idea of how to remove them without damaging your energy flow or causing you more pain then needed."

Ki nodded, "I assure you Koenma I'm accustomed to pain." Koenma fidgeted at the thought and lead the way back up stairs, pulling Hiei aside as the team passed him.

"I'm putting you in charge of Okibi, you're to make sure she doesn't do anything rash. Don't let her out of your site if you can help it and read her mind regularly to make sure she doesn't start to think about double crossing us." Hiei scowled at Koenma for his plain distrust of Ki, "Hiei we are at war. There is no room for mistakes this far into the game, especially when she can be stronger then we can even imagine." Hiei grunted and left Koenma to do his own thing, flitting down the hall to catch up with the group.

"Hey Ki, this will be your room," Yusuke tapped a door as he passed it in the hallway. "Hiei's room is next to yours and Kishin's room is across from yours too. There is an empty room on either side of his and my room is the one after the empty on the left side. Across from me and next to Hiei is Kurama and Kuwabara is on my other side. The last room next to Kurama is empty as is the room next to you." Yusuke grinned as Ki nodded, "Glad to know you can follow along."

"Man Urameshi, I know where everyone's room's are, but when you explain it it's really confusing." Kuwabara whined holding his head. Kurama put a hand on his shoulder.

"Don't worry about it Kuwabara." Kurama said softly, "Come on down stairs, the girls are coming tonight."

"MY BELOVED YUKINA IS COMING TO SEE ME!" Kuwabara yelled racing down the stairs before anyone else made a move. Yusuke's shoulder's drooped noticeably.

"Damn, Kieko won't leave me alone tonight. She heard about our fight with Ki last week. She will nag me all night long!" He followed Kurama down stairs, giving off a depressed vibe.

"Hn, ignore the bakas. It's just their girlfriends coming over, nothing to be excited about." Hiei muttered starting down the stairs. He stopped halfway down when Ki didn't follow him, "Come on onna might as well see the rest of the place before the rest of the onna's come and distract you."

"It's Ki." She said starting after him, not even bothering to glare at him. They stopped at the bottom of the stairs. Ki froze watching Yusuke and Kuwabara fight over the remote like savages, kicking punching as they rolled on the floor. Kurama was in the kitchen starting dinner ignoring their noise.

Ki raised an eyebrow and glanced at Hiei from the corner of her eye, finally noticing he was only two or three inches taller then her. She came up to his eyes at best, maybe his forehead if she really tried to stand up straight. Hiei glared the two bakas rolling around on the floor and moved to his seat by the window.

Ki walked over quickly and picked the remote up off the floor and examined it, her curiosity peaking. She pressed the red button and the tv turned on shocking her. Yusuke and Kuwabara stopped fighting at the sound of the tv and watched Ki. Kurama, Kishin, and even Hiei were watching her as she poked the tv.

"How did you get all those people in the box?" Ki asked looking behind the flat screen to see if it was a sort of window. Yusuke and Kuwabara bust out laughing holding onto each other for support.

"No way! It's all digital, prerecorded stuff sent here via satellites and a whole bunch of complicated scientific crap." Yusuke said pushing Kuwabara to the ground for the heck of it.

"Here I'll explain it to you Ki, "Kurama said, and for the next hour he explained it to the best of his knowledge, trying to confuse Ki or provoke more questions that would distract him from cooking dinner. Just as he finished both dinner and the tv to Ki the door bell rang. "Perfect timing." He said brightly leaving the kitchen to answer the door.

You wandered over to Yusuke and Kuwabara who were fighting over the remote again and took the remote from Kuwabara's hands. Sitting on the back of the couch you started to flip channels looking for something interesting to watch. It took Yusuke and Kuwabara a whole minute to figure out neither of them had the remote and Ki was flipping channels.

"Hey that's our remote!" Yusuke shouted pointing at Ki's back and Hiei smirked, having watched the whole thing.

"I think it's hers now detective." Hiei said watching Kuwabara beg for the remote patheticly.

"Nani! Hiei, you're going to take her side on this!" Yusuke was still pointing at Ki's back, who was now ignoring Kuwabara as well. "Aw come on!"

"Hey guys, Kurama tells us you have two new teammates." Ki stopped watching tv to see who was talking. Two brunettes, a girl with bright blue hair and a girl with mint green hair came into the room.

"Kazuma, what have I told you about begging?" The taller of the two brunettes said, stepping on Kuwabara harshly.

"Come on Shizuru! Get offa me!" Kuwbara whined flailing around like a fish out of water.

"Ki, Kishin, let me introduce you to Boton, Kieko, Shizuru, and Yukina." Kurama said pointing to each in turn. "Girls Kishin and Ki are the newest members of our team."

"So back up Kurama, where is this thousands of years old demon who Kieko was talking about." Shizuru asked looking around. "I heard the guy beat up my little brother pretty good."

"That would be me." Ki said holding her hand up a little, "I apologize, but it was necessary at the time." Shizuru shrugged.

"No you shouldn't be apologizing. It's not your fault Kazuma's so weak." Shizuru said holdinher hand out, "I'm Shizuru Kuwabara, nice to meat you." Ki shook her hand and faced the rest of the group.

"Well I guess Keonma trusts you not to turn on us so, welcome to the team! I'm Boton and you'll be seeing me most often because I help Yusuke out with his missions!" Ki winced as Boton pulle dher into a tight hug, almost cracking her ribs. "I'm also the grim reaper."

"Yeah a messed up one!" Yusuke said grinning. Kieko's hand made solid contact with the back opf his head sending him face first into the ground.

"Yusuke! That's rude!" She continued to give Yusuke grief over his manners as Yukina introduced her self before Kuwabara kidnapped her.

"Come on, I've got dinner ready." Kurama said opening the doors to the kitchen,

_'They are all baka's. Just ignore them,' _Hiei's voice filled Ki's mind as she watched what was going on with interest. _'The only one with out a fool to distract them would be Kurama so far.'_

Ki nodded, knowing Hiei would see and followed everyone into the kitchen. Ki sat down at the end of the table so only one person could sit directly next to her. Yusuke and Kuwabara got ready to fight Hiei into sitting at the table when Hiei came in and sat down next to Ki without a fight.

"Holy shit Hiei! You're actually going to sit with us!" Yusuke said loudly.

"Obviously. He's sitting at the table isn't he?" Kishin said taking the end seat next to Ki. Yusuke and Kuwabara's jaws hit the floor in amazement as everyone else took their seats.

"Are you two baka's going to take a seat or pass up dinner?" Shizuru asked passing Yukina the bowl of spaghetti as Kurama placed it on the table. They raced to their seats to eat quickly before everything was taken before they could get their share. After dinner everyone piled into the living room to watch tv.

Ki was the last in the room, and there was no place to sit, so she sat next to Hiei on the window seat. Winning stares from everyone in the room except for Hiei. She raised an eyebrow at them.

"Is there something wrong?"

"No, well yes actually." Boton said open mouthed.

"What?"

"Hiei hasn't kicked you off of his seat yet." Kurama said, "That's new for Hiei, with anyone." He chuckled at Hiei's murderous glare and went back to talking with everyone. You blinked but shrugged and watched everyone chat among them selves.

Hiei glared out of the window, relaxing much faster then he normally would. He shrugged off the feeling that it was Ki's presence that was calming him. Without even thinking he found himself starting to gently probe her mind. Careful not to get caught. It didn't take long for her thoughts to reach him. Almost no effort on his part.

_'What brought all of these people together? They are so different and yet they get along perfectly. I don't remember any group of people, next to a demon wolf pack or a pack of Hell Hounds, being to closely held together.' _Hiei glanced at her face to find her bottom lip sticking out again as though she was pouting and smirked to himself.

_'So she does that when she's thinking.' _Hiei stared out of the window completely relaxed and at peace with him self.

Mouken - savage dog

**Thank you those who revied and those who sent me e-mails. Please don't hesitate to tell me what you think.**


	6. Chapter 06: Small Problems

Chapter 6

Ki eyed the computers completely covering the walls of the room Koenma lead her to. Hiei trailed in behind her completely ignoring the low beeping of the machines. Several doctors brushed past them, ignoring their presence trying to get things ready for the tests. She took a few steps back, using a doctor running past her as an excuse. Hiei smirked, reading her mind to find that all of this was unnerving for her. Koenma was busy arguing with a doctor over how much longer the tests would take. Ki was content to wait by Hiei for now, before it got to much for her.

"Okay Ki, the doctors are ready for you." Koenma said, he led her to a table tucked into the corner of the room, hidden from sight from where they were standing before. "They need you to lie down on the table and you need to take off your shirt so they can get to the third strap." Ki scowled but did as she was told.

Ki was tense as the doctors surrounded her, reminding her of her rude awakening. Instinctively she wanted to lash out and fight against the feeling of captivity.

_'Calm your self onna.' _Hiei's voice filled her mind. Ki clung to the link between them to keep from hurting anyone. _'None of the baka's here are going to purposely hurt you. Other wise I'll let you kill them.' _His voice was almost smug.

_'You think you can handle me?'_ Her voice was almost playfully taunting him. Hiei smirked fully concentrated on distracting her.

_'I don't think-' _Her mental "Ha!" was cut of by his growl, so she let him finish._ 'I know I can handle you and more.' _Ki inhaled sharply, as a doctor went to work testing the molecular compounds and properties.

"What are you doing dammit!" Ki hissed through clenched teeth. She knew if she was calm, the pain would be nothing; but there was too much around her to process and it wasn't making this any better.

_'Onna.'_

_'Nani!' _her mental voice sounded harsher then she meant it to. He was just trying to help.

_'Tell me about some of your battles. Not the big ones, the early ones were it was more bloody.' _Hiei's voice was to alluring and comforting to ignore. Ki hesitated a fraction of a second before starting.

_'Well, the first battle was so far deep in the makai only S and A class demons could be found . . .'_ Hiei listened patiently, marveling in the way she took on a third person look at things. Sharing the glory and praising those who earned her praise. As soon as she finished describing the battle a searing pain ripping through her middle brought her back down to earth.

She gasped eyes widening as she stared at the doctor who was picking at the band around her middle. The more he tried to wedge his scalpel between her skin and the band, the more pain rang through her system.

"What the hell are you doing!" Ki hissed dangerously at the doctor fists clenched tightly in attempt from hurting anyone. The doctor shrank away from her terrified. Ki inwardly smirked knowing she still had the ability to throw on a murderous mask.

"Calm down!" Koenma shouted fearing for everyone's lives, "They were just trying to see if the metal has had time to fully bond with your skin yet." Ki glared at him obviously saying _And you expect me to know what that means?_

"We're done Lord Koenma, the metal is suppressing her powers. The metal has semi bonded with her skin so we should be able to remove it." The doctor hesitated, "There is a defense mechanism though, it has been set to completely eat up all of her demonic energy if the thing is removed, witch is why it caused her so much pain. If it takes her energy like that, it might take her soul with it." Ki scowled, how was she supposed to help defeat Kiriai if she was dead?

"Is there nothing you can do?" Koenma asked, "We can't kill her, right now we need her to fight on our side. She could help us win this war."

The doctor frowned and glanced at Ki who had gotten off the table and was standing next to Hiei, rubbing her wrists. He lowered his voice. "Personally Lord Koenma, even if she does help us win this war, what are we supposed to do about her demonic energy? I don't think she'll be willing to suppress it again for us."

"I don't know yet, I'll think of something though. Keep looking for a loop hole though." Koenma dismissed the doctor and walked over to. "I'm assuming you heard what the doctor said, so go meet up with the others, I'll talk to you all in my office in an hour." Both Hie and Ki scowled at being ordered around by the young ruler but left him alone in the hallway.

"Have you got a lock on Okibi's energy yet?" Kiriai snapped, liquid pain was singing in her veins but she wasn't going to let anyone know that. Inwardly through the pain she was proud, she now had immortality similar to her sisters and she was going to take every advantage she had because of it.

"No milady. She's not in the demon world at all. She might have escaped to the ningenkai-"

"No!" Kiriai barked, "She wouldn't do that. She's smart enough to know that if the demon world has evolved then the human world must have also. Besides your soldiers talk enough about the ningenkai that she know exactly how much it has changed." Kiriai was seething, the pain only making her temper worse.

Another guard ran into the room panting looking scared out of his mind, "LADY KIRIAI! THE BREEDER MOUKEN IS HERE WITH A HELL HOUND AND A VAMPIRE!" he took a deep breath calming down a little, "He says the time you granted him to run more tests has proven useful and he intends to show you some of what he has discovered."

Kiriai eyed the unlucky guard thoughtfully and nodded, "Take me to him." She turned to her first in command, the only guard she trusted with her life completely, "Continue to search for her." With that she followed the nervous guard out into the hallway and out into the courtyard of her castle were many of her more blood thirsty guards were eyeing the trio of demons with hopes of slaughter.

"I Lady Kiriai, I was wondering if you were going to see me or leave me to the mercy of your guards." Mouken said smiling like a child with a secret. Kiriai eyed the demon, he was five six at best, lightly muscular and had a strong chin. He kept his green hair in short spikes that stayed out of his way. Finally she met his cold yellow eyes that held open malice and confidence.

"What is it that you have felt the need to come in person?" Kiriai snapped.

"Well I thought you would want to see what your money is getting you." Mouken said shrugging, "Anyway seeing as how I'm sure you won't want the inside of your hall bloodied I will show you what I want you to see out here." He produced a vile of a dull green liquid and motioned the hell hound next to him to step forward. "The hell hounds produce a venom in their fangs as they mature. So far I can assume the older the hound is the stronger the venom. But it's poisonous, that's why almost no one survives a hell hound attack. They attack with their teeth and claws. Biting and infecting their enemy. The venom spreads much faster when the enemy is running on adrenaline, such as during a fight." He couldn't help but smirk at the way Kiriai was eyeing the vile in his hands. "The downside is, there is absolutely no cure of r the poison."

"Could it be smothered on a weapon and still be as effective?" Mouken shrugged carelessly.

"Don't know, that wasn't part of my job description." He smirked coldly at her murderous glare, "Anyway I thought you might want to see what might happen when you push a hell hound and vampire too far."

Kiriai's eyes lit up at the prospect of finally seeing a hell hound fight. Mouken shooed the demon guards out of the clearing and it didn't take him long to goad both of the demons into fighting. A twisted smile etched across her face as blood started to flow immediately. Both demons fought with a savage hunger that could only second a Dragon demon. Kiriai allowed her self to fully enjoy the massacre in front of her. Roars of approval from her guards sounded as the hell hound ripped the vampire's arm off, spraying blood everywhere. Mouken frowned slightly wishing he was back doing more research, the fight might have helped him. Finally the fight came to a bloody end as the two demons killed each other.

"Kuso," Mouken cursed under his breath, "And I had such high hopes for those two."

Kiriai raised an eye brow, "I should hope those two weren't your strongest fighters?" She was inwardly pleased with their performance.

"Oh no not at all," Mouken said eyeing corpses with distaste. "They were the absolute weakest. They finally showed some promise during this fight though." He sighed, "Not a problem though."

Koenma finished explaining Ki's problem to the spirit detectives, hoping one of them would be able to help him think of a way out of his problem. For the longest time the room was silent until Kurama asked a sudden question. "Has that energy amount already been set?"

"Yes." Was Koenma's short answer desperately hoping the fox had come up with an idea.

"Ki, said she had some of her powers taken from her and put into three objects. A necklace, ring, and bracelet." He glanced at Ki for confirmation and she nodded to him. "Well if we can get even one of those back, it would give her, her energy back, thus giving her enough to live one when everything else is taken from her."

Ki smiled, "The bitch of a father I have took a hell of a lot out of me when he did that." When everyone stared at her she glared back muttering under her breath, "I'm starting to pick up things from that stupid "tv". Or I listen to baka one and two too much." Hiei smirked, having been close enough to hear what she said.

"That could work!" Koenma half yelled then settled down, "But how are we going to find one of those items?"

Ki smiled grimly, "Maybe a little trip to hell might help us."


	7. Chapter 07: Dragon Fighting

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 7

"NANI!" Koenma shouted, face turning red as he stared at Ki astonished. "I can't send my team into hell! What are you thinking!"

Ki glared at him, "I wasn't saying you should send your team in, I mean you should let me go and talk to my father. Maybe after all this time he will give me a hint if I swallow my pride. It's better then running around blind with no idea as to what we're doing." Everyone was staring at her like she was crazy.

"No, absolutely not! I forbid it!" Koenma started to rant as everyone else slowly averted their gazes from Ki and fell into thought.

"It makes sense guys." Kuwabara said making Koenma shut up, "I mean her idea. If we can get some hint as to where one of these three things are it would make the search easier. And what f we get another allay that would also be a huge help." Everyone was staring at Kuwabara as though he had grown an extra head and was walking around naked.

"Am I hearing things or did Kuwabaka say something smart!" Yusuke yelled clapping Kuwabara on the back. "Come on Koenma, one of us could go with her to make sure she doesn't double cross us." Ki shot him a murderous glare at this but said nothing. Koenma held a tortured look, as he was lost in thought.

"Fine, but Yusuke and Kuwabara, you are forbidden from going. So who is willing to volunteer for this expedition?" Koenma glared hard at the group waiting for an answer.

"I'll go."

Ki smirked to her self as Hiei volunteered for the trip. Kurama smiled almost knowingly and Yusuke and Kuwabara were muttering something about Hiei and Ki's relationship to them selves. Koenma gawked at Hiei.

"Why?" he sputtered jaw on the floor.

"I want to." Hiei hissed glaring at the toddler, "If it will get me away from these baka's then I'll take almost any chance I can get."

Koenma sighed defeated, "Fine. You have an hour to prepare." An hour later after good byes and good lucks Ki and Hiei jumped through a portal that would take them to hell.

They fell in silence waiting for the ground to rise up and meet them. And it did as soon as they had relaxed. Their unprepared bodies crashed to the ground heavily getting the attention of a few demons around them.

"Newbies, lets show them how to get along in hell!" one of them shouted advancing on the pair. Hie and Ki got to their feet quickly glaring at the demons. "H-hold on, you sent me here thousands of years ago!" the demon yelled jabbing a finger in Ki's direction. Ki smirked not caring who the demon was.

"Move." She hissed recognizing the smell of fear, now issuing from the demons. They nodded and ran looking as though they would piss themselves.

"Impressive." Hiei muttered jamming his hands in his pockets. The two examined their surrounding closely. Everything seamed to have an eerie red glow. The land was almost a barren wasteland. Blackened trees and bits of grass littered the area, deep crags ran throughout the seen. A Black and yellow flame occasionally erupted from the crags burning anyone foolish enough to get to close or was hoping over them.

"Home sweet home." Ki muttered starting off in a random direction.

"Are you sure we should be going in this direction?" Hiei asked taking a light side step as flames erupted next to him.

"Nope." Ki said lightly. "But the demons ran this way so there should be some form of shelter up ahead. Then we could get an idea of were we are going."

"Hn." They continued in comfortable silence, nothing living close enough to get their attention.

"My Lord! There is news that your eldest daughter is back!" A small demon said, his screechy voice bouncing off the walls. The demon floated around his Lord's head a wicked smile playing across it's lips. "Would you like me to send her an escort."

His Lord was relaxed on his throne. His midnight blue shirt open reviling a broad and very muscular chest. Black pants and boots encased his long legs as they stretched out before him. He ran a hand through his shaggy red hair, tugging at the ends half-wishing he could cut it. Gleaming crimson eyes eyeing the small American demon annoyed.

"No David. She will find her way here if this is were she really wants to be. You forget that she is the Queen of dragons, she will find a way to get here."

"Lord Satan, there is also word that she is working for Koenma, and has brought a partner with her." David hissed into the Lord's ear. David smirked at the fists the clenched at this news.

"Nani!" Satan hissed, eyes turning red, "Koenma thinks he can control those of my blood!?" He slammed his fist down on his chair. "I will have a word with him later about this. I want to get rid of those fallen angels first. Those pests are getting annoying." Satan stood and stalked out of his throne room, fingers tracing the black marble walls as he went.

David flew after him smiling widely at the thought of blood shed.

"It's getting darker." Ki stated watching the midnight blue skies grow steadily black as lighting flashed across it. She pointed to a distant mountain, "Race you there."

"Hn." Was Hiei's reply as they took off. Ki smirked and moved in front of Hiei leading him to the mountain's base. They stopped Ki only a few seconds ahead of Hiei. Quickly they found an uninhabited cave and claimed it as their own. Hiei left the cave again only to return with wood, and easily staring a fire. Ki left as Hiei started the fire, turning into a dragon and taking off to hunt.

_'What are you planning on doing when we get to your father's place onna?'_

_'Ki, Hiei, Ki.' _Ki rolled her eyes and swooped low to the ground.

_'Hn.'_Hiei scowled at being corrected.

_'Fine, I'm going to mostly be direct after he's done welcoming and crap. If mothers there then it will be awhile.' _Ki sang her claws deep into a unlucky demon and killed him quickly, turning around and heading back to their cave, keeping close watch on the ground.

_'Do you see the demon town?' _

_'Hai.'_ Ki dropped her spoils at the mouth of the cave and changed back "It's about a three hours walk north of here on the other side of the mountain."

Hiei and Ki carved up the demon and set their portions over the fire waiting for it to cook, "Why don't you tell Yukina you're her brother?"

"It's a long story." Hiei muttered crossing his arms.

"We have all night." Ki said leaning against the cave walls, "Besides you've pretty much heard my life's story."

"Hn."

Ki eyed him thoughtfully, "If you think I'm going to judge you, I won't. So tell me." Hiei stared at her, surprised she hit it on the nail, and started to talk.

In the morning they set out again quickly and ran into more demons, the fights weren't long but they took up needed time and energy. In the town they found out they need to go four days west and then take the road to Satan's castle from there. Hiei and Ki scowled and started out around four, unable to tell time with the constantly dark sky. Three hours into their trip Ki stopped and scowled.

"This is taking to long." Abruptly she changed into a dragon and glared at Hiei, _'Get on my back. It'll be faster if I fly us.'_

Hiei raised an eyebrow but wordlessly followed her command. _'Be careful of the spikes.' _Ki reminded him playfully as she took off, nearly slamming Hiei forward onto her back.

"Hn." Hiei said watching the spikes carefully. A wrong move could defiantly cause him some problems in the crotch area. He made sure not to complain noting how Ki was swallowing her pride and carrying him.

A dim roar in the distance sounded and Ki tensed. Hiei twisted sideways to get a look at what was behind them. Getting closer by the second was a purple dragon, almost invisible against the sky. When it as almost upon them it roared again, rage obviously plain in the dragon's voice.

_'Hold on.' _Ki warned as the enemy dragon dived at her back; lethal ivory talons extended. Hiei grunted in reply putting a hand on his katana. Ki rolled as the talons dove for her back. Claws ripped across scales as they dug into the softer scales of Ki's belly. She roared in pain, fire bellowing from her mouth hitting the enemy's belly in return.

Hiei's eyes widened as the overwhelming stench of blood reached him. Ki's blood shed to protect him. The enemy held back for a minute giving Ki time to back flip behind it and fly directly over it. Her own claws ripped into the sides of her attacker, cutting into the leathery wings as well. The draogn below her screamed in pain and lifted it's head in attempt to bite her. Her own head dove for the newly exposed neck and her fangs delved deep into her enemy's neck. Both dragon's had stopped using their wings at this point, completely lost in the battle, falling headfirst for the ground.

"ONNA!" Hiei yelled reminding Ki he was there. She jerked away from her defeated foe and broke her own fall, leveling out a mile from the ground.

_'Gomen Hiei.' _Ki said descending at a slower pace. They dropped into a dead forest and Ki changed back clutching her stomach. She leaned against a tree breathing heavily.

"Kuso." She cursed under her breath examining the deep wounds. Hiei pulled her hands away to get a look at them him self. She ripped her shirt off from the ribs down, the bloody material useless.

"I didn't ask you to save me onna." Hiei said ripping his scarf into strips to use as bandages. Ki repressed a snort and glared at Hiei for using his water ration to clean her wounds. "You covered at least three days worth of walking, we have water to spare." Hiei stated.

"Stop reading my mind." Ki hissed in pain as Hiei pulled purple scales out of her wounds as gently as he could. He froze in the act of throwing a scale to the side.

"I wasn't." Uncomfortably they both shrugged it off as being able to read each other. When he finished he muttered something about taking first watch and hopped into the tree. Ki unwillingly fell asleep for the whole night.

**Special thanks to Zegg and blackrose4ever for reviewing. All input is welcome and I won't get mad or upset if you message with constructive criticism. Thanks.**


	8. Chapter 08: A Hint of Deception

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 8

Hiei sat in his perch in the tree, above Ki. His bloody katana close to hand as he watched for more demons. They had flocked to their location because of the smell of fresh blood. Each of them were so engrossed in the thought of fresh blood, they had completely missed Hiei. Each time he would swoop down and slaughter the unlucky demons and hop right back up into his tree without a sound. The number of demons that were coming was increasing, and the fact that Ki has yet to awake, even in the midst of slaughter, bothered him. Coming to a quick decision Hiei sheathed his blade and hopped down from the tree. Gingerly her took Ki into his arms bridal style and cradled her against his chest. Sensing more demons, Hiei quickly took off into the direction they had been headed in earlier.

As the hours flitted by Ki burrowed her head into Hiei's chest, a soft smile gracing her lips in her sleep. Hiei forced him self to keep his eyes on the road in front of him, instead on the sleeping youkai in his arms. Hiei traveled the rest of the distance to the next town within two hours, getting inside just before dawn. Slowing his pace Hiei hopped into a tree, keeping Ki in his arms and sat down. He rested his head on her shoulder, falling into a light sleep keeping a solid grip on the girl in his arms, as not to let her get away.

"You mean you are in custody of Okibi Dokuja and you didn't tell me!" Koenma flinched away from the furious form of Mukruo. The demon king leaned on the prince's desk, getting into the toddler's face. "AND on top of that you have set her and Hiei into hell so she get some of her powers back! Are you mad Koenma!" '

"I'm taking the measures necessary to win this war Mukuro. Okibi has not attempted to harm any of the people here since we brought her here. There has been no sign of treachery coming from her, and to my great dislike the boys have taken a liking to her." Koenma sighed lacing his fingers together, "I would rather be done with her all together, but right now we need her powers on our side."

"Ahh, so your not fond of the girl yourself are you?" Mukuro said, her voice lowering to more of a clam tone. When Koenma nodded glumly she smiled sadistically. "Then listen to my idea." Mukuro and Koenma started talking so quietly it became impossible to hear from out side the door where Boton was listening.

Boton gasped theatrically at the thought of Koenma plotting to get rid of Ki, was a little to much for her peppy mind to handle on top of the war. She skipped down stairs to tell the boys that Koenma was busy so they couldn't get an update on Ki.

"Why!?" Yusuke whined upon hearing the news, "I want to know if they've done something yet! It's obvious Hiei has a thing for her!" He slumped low into his chair sinking into a state of mock depression.

"I wouldn't let Hiei hear you say that Yusuke," Kurama warned, "You know how Hiei is when it comes to admitting he cares for someone." Yusuke grinned suddenly.

"Hey Boton can't you watch them from your communicator?"

"Yeah why?" Yusuke grabbed the communicator from Boton and sifted through a box of cables next to the tv. After five minutes he yelled in triumph and turned on the tv. After messing around for a few more minutes the picture of Hiei and Ki in a tree showed up. He whooped and sat down in front of the tv as everyone stared at him astonished.

"How did you do that?" Boton yelled in shock.

"It's like hooking up my game boy to the tv to get a bigger picture now shut up and watch Boton." Yusuke said quickly watching the screen intently.

Ki stirred slightly, waking immediately and stiffened feeling arms wrapped around her and steady breathing against her neck. Turning her head, careful not to alert the person behind her she sall Hiei. She relaxed against his warmth and took a good look around, not recognizing their surroundings. She watched a few demons close in on the tree, silently stalking their prey. It took her a half a second to realize she still reeked of blood and they were after her.

"Don't move." Hiei's hushed voice whispered in her ear, Ki wanted to protest at being told what to do, but did as she was told. When all of the demons circled the tree, Hiei's warmth vanished. "You attract a lot of demons." Hiei stated picking her up and jumping down from the tree.

"Obviously," Ki said gently touching her still raw wounds. "You shouldn't have let me sleep the whole night, I could have taken watch."

Hiei glared at her, "You were to wounded to have been able to do anything when we where attacked onna. Letting you sleep and heal was the best choice so we could keep moving forward." Hiei wanted to say something about she saved his life so it was the least he could do, but his ego wouldn't let him admit it to her.

Ki huffed and turned her back on him, heading into town before grabbing her side and falling to her knees. Hiei was at her side instantly, gently prying her hands away from her wound to get a look at it. "Onna, you shouldn't be moving. You'll just be reopening the wound and making it worse." Ki scowled at him.

"I can handle myself Hiei." She tried to stand without the pain of the wound overwhelming her. Instead she gasped and started to fall, as Hiei's strong arms wrapped around her gently, supporting her. He said nothing as he picked her up and walked he into the town, glaring at everyone who gave them a weird look. Without blinking an eye he stole medicine and bandages, from a demon who was giving them the dirtiest looks.

Flitting away from the demon before he could figure out he was robbed; Hiei ran to the edge of the town and put Ki down at the base of a tree. Hiei unwrapped her wounds and tossed the scraps of material aside, burning them without a second thought. Ki hissed in pain as he cleaned her wounds again, this time adding ointment. Hiei raised an eyebrow at her reaction to the medicine. She caught his glance and glared at him.

"We didn't have medicine when I was fighting baka. You wrapped the wound or had it stitched together and bore the pain. All this is doing though is making it worse." She clenched her teach as Hiei wrapped her bandages slightly tighter then needed. He picked her up bridal style and started walking without a word.

"I can walk." Ki protested for the eighth time in the last two hours. Hiei said nothing but kept walking, forcing himself once again to keep his eyes on the road in front of him. Ki eventually fell silent and drifted off to sleep listening to the steady beat of his heart and welcoming his warmth. He walked up to the gates of Satan's castle before waking Ki.

"Wake up onna. We're here." He set her down as she woke, and glared at the oncoming demon.

"State your name and business with Lord Satan!" the demon barked trying to puff out his chest and look important. Ki gave him a cold glare.

"Open the gates fool. I'm here to see my father." Ki snapped at the ignorant guard.

He sneered smugly, "You are not Satan's daughter. She is in the demon world trying to take over the three worlds." Ki snarled in agitation and drew her sword quickly. She thrust it into the gut of the demon and twisted it painfully until he died.

"Baka demon." Ki hissed, deftly she cut through the locks on the gates and sheathed her sword. She stumbled at little half way to the door. Hiei came up behind her quickly and slid an arm around her waste supporting her as she walked.

She silently thanked him, not sure if he was reading her mind or not but thanked him all the same. She lead them into the castle and after pausing a moment went through a large set of red double doors. Nearly everything in the castle was red and black. Ki kept them to the side, out the way of soldiers and other demons wandering the halls. Finally she pushed open a second set of doors similar to the first and walked inside a throne room.


	9. Chapter 09: Welcome Home, Not

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 9

Kiriai's frown deepened as her captain said they had not heard a thing about Okibi for yet another week. Her sister was proving to be a serious pain in the ass, if she wasn't found soon then her armies would start to dissipate. A few deserters had been caught and tortured, they had run because no one had seen, or even heard Okibi in the past week. Before they could have told others Kiriai had them killed.

"Why can't you find her?" Kiriai demanded, "If she is among the living then we should have found her by now. And if Koenma has managed to capture her then he would have ordered for our immediate surrender by now." She slammed her fist down on the table. "I have to leave soon to visit some people, we are running out of time captain. When I'm gone I'll hold you responsible for every soldier that is caught trying to desert my army, is that clear?"

The captain nodded furiously, fear coiling in his belly as Kiriai's cold eyes stared him down. "My Lady, this also came for you this morning. It had the pass to get by our guards without getting checked." The captain put a envelope down on her desk quickly.

Kiriai ripped it open and read through the quick scrawl that was the handwriting. As the letter progressed the more her anger lifted and was replaced by a smug satisfaction. "I'm leaving first thing tomorrow morning captain. I think I've found our run away."

Wincing inwardly she pulled herself from Hiei's grip and walked over to the sleeping form on the throne. She mentally rolled her eyes recognizing her father taking a break in his normal fashion. Ki blinked as a small red demon flew over her head and started to yell at the top of his voice in a thick American accent at the sleeping demon.

"MY LORD SATAN A GUARD HAS BEEN KILLED OUT FRONT AND LADY OKIBI IS HERE ALONG WITH HIEI JAGANSHI!" The small demon looked as though he was about to say more before a hand shot out and long fingers cut off the demon's air passage.

"Say one more word David and I'll rip out your vocal cords and force them back down your throat before slaughtering you." The deep voice hissed dangerously. A few seconds passed before what David had said sunk into Satan's head. "Wait where is my daughter?!"

"Okibi is here my Lord." David choked out, "My Lord-" Satan let go of the small demon and finally caught sight of Ki and Hiei in his hall.

"Ah, I was wondering when you were going to get here Okibi. How is my favorite daughter?" He stood smiling in welcome, though the smile never reached his eyes. Ki gave him an unemotional stare as he came closer, arms open for her embrace.

"Fine father," father and daughter hugged, though there was no real warm emotion shown by either of them. It was brief and when they broke apart both sized the other up. "Father I-"

"Okibi! How long have you been here!" Ki stiffened visibly as her mother's cold voice filled the room. A woman with short spiky black hair strode into the room. Yellow eyes taking in everything and calculating what was happening as fast as it was happening. "And you brought a friend with you!" She rounded on Hiei who had been trying to melt into the dark shadows of the own. "Who are you exactly?"

"Jaganshi, Hiei." Hiei replied easily matching her glare, his voice void of emotion.

"Well Hiei, why are you here with my daughter?" Her voice took on a motherly tone as she sized the fire youkai up.

"Leave him alone Selena, besides Okibi never comes here without reason, if she comes at all." Satan rounded on Ki suddenly, "Sometimes I wish you would have just come straight here when you found out I was your father- you're bleeding!" His voice grew alarmed as crimson splotches became visible through the white bandages wrapped round her middle.

_'Damn it! This will take forever!'_ Ki thought furiously scowling as her mother had David alert the infirmary she would be there soon.

"We'll get down to business when you're all cleaned up." Selena said briskly as a second small flying demon arrived in the room. "Take these two o the healers." The demon nodded and motioned for Ki and Hiei to follow him. Ki made it out of the room before her knees wen tweak again and Hiei caught her around the middle.

_'Don't push it onna.' _Hiei hissed following the demon closely. _'Are Satan and Selena always like that'_

_'No. By dinner they should have calmed down enough to be considered normal. Obviously I don't spend much time here, they annoy me.'_

_'How long will it take you to convince your father to tell you where he hid your powers?' _They reached the infirmary and a group of doctors were running around Ki to heal her.

_'because of my mother, I'll be lucky to even bring the topic up tonight. She'll want to know how my wounds are, if I'm feeling better, what I think of Kiriai. What I've been up to and a bunch of other things to waist time and keep me here longer.' _KI jumped as a doctor started to stitch up her stomach. _'And if we do convince father to spill, there will be an annoying catch. There's always one involved when he's involved.' _Hiei nodded expecting that much from the King of Hell.

When the doctors finally let Ki out of the infirmary she could walk steadily on her own. David was waiting outside to tell them what was going to happen now that Ki's wounds were healed.

"Lady Okibi, your parents are waiting in the dinning room for you. You will need to change first though because your mother is throwing a party for this years fighters. She is planning on introducing you and him," David jabbed a finger at Hiei, "at the party as well."

As soon as he had finished his sentence, Ki's hand was wrapped around his small throat like her father's had been hours before. "You will you will call him by his first name scum." Ki hissed dangerously, "He's my guest and he will be treated with proper respect." David nodded furiously unable to speak. Ki released him and he took in lungfulls of air.

"My apologies Lady Okibi, I will not make that mistake again. If you would please follow me to your room." David turned his back on the pair and started down the hallway.

_'You didn't have to do that.'_

Ki rolled her eyes as Hiei' voice filled her head, _'Urusai, I wanted to. Besides you're better then him guest or otherwise. He shouldn't be allowed to insult you without some form of punishment.'_

_'I can take care of my self' _Hiei grunted shoving his hands into his pockets. _'You don't need to come to my defense.'_

_'But if you had killed him, my father would either make you take his place or come up with some obscene way to hurt you, which he is very good at.' _Ki shot back, _'Please just let me take care of the morons. I don't want to have to anger my father by fighting with him to get you back, or have to deal with Koenma because I had to leave you behind. With my powers the way they are now, I would never be able to take on my father.' _

Hiei refused to reply so they lapsed into silence as they climbed stare after stare. David finally stopped in front of a large set of double doors. A large intricate carving of a dragon covered both doors.

"My Lady," David bowed his head and opened the doors for Ki and Hiei to pass through, _'Make one wring move fire demon and I will personally make sure Lord Satan and Lady Selena will kill you for it.'_ David warned Hiei as he followed Ki into the room.

"Go screw your self pest." Hiei hissed anger reaching boiling point, he slammed the door shut in the demon's face.

"They sent up clothes for you." Ki tossed Hiei a pile of clothes that were sitting on the couch. She rifled through her closet looking for a few minutes before grabbing the dress Selena had already picked out for her with a sigh of defeat.

"Bathroom's yours." Hiei said stepping out in his tuxedo. Ki raised an eye brow but said nothing, heading in her self to change. Both of them had showered in the infirmary because they had really needed it, so changing was fast.

Ki slipped on the very low cut dress with distaste and scowled almost hatefully at the knee length skirt. A long slight that reached her hips showed off her long legs and the dress hugged all of the right curves. Ki ignored Hiei's stare as she stepped out of the bathroom pinning her hair up in an elegant bun.

David lead them down to the dinning room where Ki's parents were waiting as a line of demons getting introduced before entering the ball room had reached. The party had already started as Ki and Hiei slipped silently into line right behind her parents.

"You look great in your dress." Selena said turning to face her daughter and Hiei. "And how are your wounds, are they taken care of?"

"They are fine. Nothing to worry about." Ki said calmly.

Her mother nodded and took her husbands arm as their names were called and they were introduced to the room as they entered. Hiei and Ki stood next to each other a little awkward as they were announced.

"Welcoming Lady Okibi Dokuja, Princess of Hell, known by her enemies as Shien and Queen of the Dragons. Her guest is Hiei Jaganshi, The Forbidden Child, and Dark Tournament Champion."

_'Queen of the Dragons'_ Hiei thought furiously as they followed Ki's parents down the stairs and into the crowd of staring people. _'She never said anything about being queen. Neither has Koenma for that matter.' _

Ki was painfully aware of most of the male eyes on the room watching her, females watching Hiei. She never showed up to the parties her mother threw for these reasons, she never knew how to react and demons would come up to her just trying to get close to her father.

_'This is going to be a long night,'_ Ki thought miserably as she looped her arm through Hiei's casually. "Come over this way."

Hiei blinked dumbly then "hn"ed. Ki rolled her eyes and lead them through the dense crowd of people toward the small clearing of people were her parents were taking refuge. Her arm left his as she rounded on her parents furiously. Hiei stood to the side regaining his momentarily lost composure just in time to be swarmed by a crowd of female demons.

"So you're Hiei huh? We've heard about you even here in hell."

"I've heard rumors that King Satan has special plans for you when you actually die."

"Stay down here with us, we're better for you then the other demons in the demon plain."

"Are you going to be watching me fight Hiei-kun."

"What's between you and Princess Okibi?"

"HN!" Hiei grunted glaring daggers at all of the females.

"Look I know you came here on business but relax and enjoy the party. We weren't planning on you showing up just in time for this." Selena said sipping from her wine glass. "Besides you might just run into an old friend. You never know."

Satan chuckled suddenly having ignored the mother daughter fight when something else caught his eye. "You're guest, Hiei wasn't it?" Ki nodded, "Well I think you should rescue him before someone ends up dying for good."

Ki turned to see Hiei looking furious as a mob of girls coo'ed over him pathetically. Ki almost growled at the sight but caught it in time. "Most men would be enjoying them selves if they were surrounded by women." Selena remarked smiling to herself.

"Hiei isn't like 'most' men." Ki hissed before heading out to rescue Hiei. Her father's laughter increased in volume as Ki found her self surrounded, like Hiei, by a pack of men. She cursed under her breath, "Shit."

"Come on boys. You need to train without Hiei." Koenma said pushing open the doors that lead to the kitchen, glaring at his spirit detectives.

"Tell us how he and Ki are doing and we'll start training again." Yusuke said bluntly not even looking at the toddler. "You haven't told us a thing yet. Koenma glanced at Kurama pleadingly for help.

"I'm sorry Koenma but I also want to know what's going on." Kurama half shouted over the argument that broke out between Yusuke and Kuwabara over the last cookie.

"Fine! All I know is that they were attacked by another dragon demon on their way to Satan's castle. Ki took a risk and had her stomach ripped open during the fight. When they landed Ki passed out and Hiei fought off demons that were lured to them by the smell of Ki's blood. He took her to a village to get her packed up and that's all I know so go-"

"LORD KOENMA!" Boton screamed running into the room, "Kiriai has sent a small army of demons and they are drilling into the crack in the barrier made by Ki as we speak!"

Curses so fowl they could have made a sailor blush, flew from Koenma's lips, "Boys-"

"We know." Kishin said standing up and stretching all in one movement like a cat, "Go kick some demon ass. We're going." He chased the others out the door. Hours later after Koenma's own army had joined the fight, had Kiriai's forces retreated. Exhausted the spirit detectives returned bloody and sweaty, stumbling into Koenma's office.

"They didn't get far into the barrier, but they had found the exact crack Ki had left after fighting you boys and widened it. If they break in before we can repair the crack then Kiriai will most likely swarm the place with as many demons as possible." Koenma sighed heavily rubbing his temples.

"Are you saying we could get killed in our sleep if they push at the crack any harder!" Yusuke shouted jumping to his feet.

"My beloved Yukina is no longer safe here! I Kazuma Kuwabara will fight to my last breath to keep her safe!"

"Urusau baka! We just have to fix the crack and everything will go back to whatever you want to call normal during war." Yusuke said as Koenma nodded in agreement.

"Koenma, is my mother safe?" Kurama asked worried.

"Yes, yes I have a few demons looking after her carefully. So far Kiriai hasn't targeted your friends and family yet."

"Koenma, what is making Kiriai bold enough to try and attack us directly? I mean even Ki made sure she had the demon world under her complete control. Kiriai still has Muroko and Yami to deal with."

Hiei's anger skyrocketed into jealousy as Ki was surrounded by demons that weren't him. All of them trying to get on her good side and get close to her.

_'What the hell do those bastards think they're doing!?'_

Forcing his way through the pack of surrounding girls Hiei speed into the middle of the circle surrounding Ki. Glaring Hiei wrapped an arm around Ki's waist possessively, daring them to challenge him. One by one the demons parted leaving Hiei and Ki alone.

"Arigato Hiei. I meant to save you, but you saved me." Ki said gently pulling Hiei into the middle of the room where demons had started dancing.

_'Are your parents going to listen to what you have to say' _Hiei asked pulling Ki's body against his as they started to dance.

_'Tomorrow over breakfast, or so they say. They are probably stalling so I can't leave sooner then I want.' _Ki rested her head on Hiei's shoulder. Without knowing Hiei was still in her head, her thoughts started to wander.

_'Actually if Kiriai wasn't around, I would stay here with Hiei. Cut off from the living world. Far away from people like Koenma who are a pain in the ass. . . Alone with the first demon to ever make me feel comfortable. The first demon to truly understand me.' _

**Thanks to ****Rachaeltje****, ****Tears of a Dark Moon****, ****dragonwingedangel****, ****Kaori Minamino****, ****Zegg****, and ****blackrose4ever****. For reviewing period. Special thanks to Three Days Grace for inspiring me, even though they don't know it! (Lol feeling a little hyper todayz)**

**Heads up ppl, reviews make me happy. And when I'm happy I get motivated to write more and then you all are happy. So if you take a minute to review then you'll get the next chapie faster. REVIEW DAMN IT! **

**An I really want to know what you think of this chapter, it took me forever to write it up.**


	10. Chapter 10: Satan's Deal, Kiriai's Spy

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 10

"You didn't come here to say hello, and now that we have free time on our hands, I'm willing to listen to why you have come here. And you have not come alone. You brought a silent friend with you and have pestered me to listen since you arrived. " Satan put his feet up on the table watching the door swing shut as Selena left the room to take care of things.

Ki didn't even blink at his forwardness. She started to explain what had happened to her since she had woken up to find that she was as good as a mindless slave under Kiriai's control. Nothing was left out and Satan was silent the entire way through. Hiei was only half listening but paid close attention to the small fights, if you could even call them fights, between her and Kiriai.

"You still haven't told me what you want. I cannot free you from your bonds, I would have already if I could." Satan crossed his arms over his chest face grave.

"I need to know where you hid my powers. Surely you have not lost track of them. If I take the bonds off without increasing my energy supply they will kill me. Training to rebuild me strength will take time. Time I don't have." Ki locked gazes with her father and stared him down, "I'll do anything you ask of me for the information to where they are."

_'Are you suicidal onna!?' _Hiei shot the thought into her head with alarm. "You will not."

Ki spun around and glared hard at Hiei, if looks could kill, Hiei would have dropped dead from the force of her gaze. "Excuse me?"

Hiei ignored her, "I'll take her place in this deal."

Satan raised an eye brow, the sudden turn of events was starting to amuse him. "Why would you of all people want to help my daughter?" His eyes' lighting up like a child's with a secret and is dying to share it.

"Because I WANT to."

Satan chuckled suddenly, soon turning into an al out laugh. It ended as soon as it started and he let his gaze fall on Ki. "Alright I'll spill, but only because you've found your soul mate weather you know it or not." Ki glared murderously at him, "I gave the ring to a pack of Hell Hounds, what they've done with it I don't know, but they won't be stupid enough to have gotten rid of it. The bracelet is hidden in a temple in the deepest part of the makai. To get to it you'll have to travel into the belly of the beast as the expression goes. And the necklace. . .I think the human's have it."

"You gave my powers to a human!" Ki roared jumping to her feet eyes blazing.

_'Maybe she's gotten more comfortable with talking with me to have lost her cool like that, or it's because of him.' _Satan thought as he motioned for her to sit down.

"I lost track of it after six hundred years to be honest." David flew silently into the room and handed Satan a letter. He glared coldly at Hiei before leaving. Satan ripped open the letter carelessly and read it over. Alarm covered his face as he jumped to his feet. "Come with me, as quickly and as silently as you can."

He led them into the fire place in the corner of the room. Stepping through the flames and into the passage way beyond he spoke quickly and in hushed tones.

"Normally I would relish the chance to see you and Kiriai fight but not now. She's on her way here. I can assume you two meeting would be a very bad thing." Satan stopped and pushed open a hidden door and stepped into the armory. Inside he located a set of armor and tossed it to Ki.

Ki's eyes widened as she clutched a chest plate with a delicately carved dragon set on what looked like blue scales. The shoulders were silver dragon heads. Each snarling in roaring life like defiance that couldn't be mistaken; heavily detailed down to the last scale. Arm bracers embossed with the same seal that had held Ki in slumber stood out in gleaming silver against the blue scales much like the dragon carved into the chest plate. Garters for her legs rested on top of the pile before Satan took them back and packed them carefully into a bag with leather backed mail.

"I had these recovered after I sent you back. It's yours and I have no right to keep it when you're about to go charging off to war unprotected." His voice dropped lower as he handed her a scaled blue shield with the same dragon carving in silver as the one on the chest plate. "Even here Kiriai has spies. She does not trust many." He thrust a similar set of armor to Hiei except the scales were black instead of blue and there was no design on them. The dragon heads were red instead of silver. The colors reversed even on the shield though it had no markings.

"You are not as alone as you think Okibi. More dragons live, it's just the finding them part that is hard. You said you would do anything to get your hands on some of your power correct?" Ki nodded and followed her father and Hiei out into the passage way. "Good I'm sending an old friend of yours up to help you. He'll guide you to the necklace." Satan caught Hiei's eye, "I'll call upon your part of our deal when the time is right." He turned back to Ki, "Because I'm feeling rather generous today I'll let you off easy. But for the next ten years you will go into heat for two solid weeks each year. It will be ten times as intense as a normal dragon's heat cycle, but you will only be able to bed your soul mate."

_'Pervert' _Ki thought angrily as she jogged to catch up to him he opened a second door and led them into the stables.

"These horses are the fastest anywhere. They don't need much rest, when you don't need them anymore simply let them loose. They will return to me in time." He kissed Ki's forehead before she mounted her horse. "Now run and don't stop, may the winds blow in your favor." Ki nodded and kicked her horse into a gallop following Hiei out of the stables.

_'Didn't you say you would have to be lucky to get information out of your father?'_

_'Yes, I think he knew Kiriai was coming he just didn't know I'm planning on slaughtering her, the first chance I get. Did you sense someone outside the door, right after we I started to tell my father what had happened?'_

_'It was David onna. He stayed close to the door until he came in and gave Satan that letter.' _They lapsed into a comfortable silence as the horses covered miles easily.

Kiriai waited in a deserted demon bar, close to her father's home. A long cloak covered her from head to toe, protecting her even as she stood in the shadows. A small flying red demon flew around the corner and stopped in front of her, bowing his head respectively.

"My Lady." David said facing her confidently.

"Well, is she here?" Kiriai asked, the small feeling of triumph and anger welling up in her stomach.

David nodded his head, "Hai, but I've found out some things you will want to know." Kiriai nodded for him to spill. "She's working either for or alongside Koenma now. Okibi has also gained information on how to remove her bonds without killing her and was getting the information as to where her powers are from her father-"

"NANI!" Kiriai was seething, how could Okibi be even stronger then when she had first woken her.

"King Satan had stripped her of some of her power when she first came to hell. He took a lot of it but left her with a little more then half of what she had originally came down here for. It was sealed into three objects," David proceeded to tell her what the objects were and how to get to them.

"Anything else?" Kiriai had a lot to think over and quickly if she wanted to head Ki off.

"Yes, it seams Okibi has found her soul mate."

Kiriai's mouth twisted into sinister grin, ideas flew into her head. Her battle plans forming in her head like solid rocks. _'There was no way Koenma should be able to win now. ' _

"What's this armor made of?" Ki jerked in surprise letting the horses go.

"What?"

"What's this armor made of?" Hiei repeated slower and gesturing to the armor Satan had given them.

"Dragon scales. They're harder then diamond but can be brittle if not taken care of. Very rare because the dragon would have had to been alive when the scales are taken. And it takes decades for the scales to be worked into armor for war. Mine is made of my own scales. Yours, I gave no idea who's scales make up the armor." Hiei nodded and put his new armor away. "Why did you volunteer to take my place to whatever agreement my father could have made for the information?"

"Hn." Hiei retreated into his silent façade. It lasted a few minutes and when Ki didn't press him for an answer he gave her one. "Like I said, I wanted to but I don't know why. Something about you won't let me push you out of my mind like other onnas."

Ki figured she had just been complimented and leaned back against the base of a tree, getting lost in her own thoughts. Trying to figure out what was happening to her.

Hiei watched her as her eyes glazed over and her bottom lip jutted out a little like she was pouting. He smirked knowing she was thinking about something.

_'Something about you onna, I can't figure it out but I feel better when you're around.' _Hiei blinked at his own thoughts and scowled launching into an argument with him self.

"Koenma, why are you dragging us down here? It smells like rotten eggs!" Yusuke whinnied as Koenma led his Spirit Deceives through a maze of hallways, deeper and deeper into the vault.

"I have found out that we have the body and spirit of a demon as old as Okibi down here. I will need your help to explain everything to her." Koenma said turning another corner and forcing open a pair of stone doors.

"Are you saying this could get violent?" Kishin asked raising an eyebrow as he looked around the stone room.

"It's highly possible." Koenma admitted. "Kuwabara you will have to suck up your honor code if this does turn violent. The demon I am going to awaken will be a female."

He had Yusuke and Kurama help him push off the stone lid of a coffin. Cold air rushed to meet them as the lid fell to the floor with a heavy thud. Inside the coffin lay a girl with nearly perfect curves and mossy green hair that fell around her face in messy locks.

"When I finish the spell one of you will need to kiss her." Koenma said, "Yes Yusuke this is like you being brought back to life but different in many aspects."

"I'll do it." Kishin volunteered, without removing his gaze from the girl in the tomb. Koenma started to chant a long and complex spell as old as time its self. As he went the air around him thickened with spirit energy and the girl's body started to glow a dull yellow that intensified and brightened with each passing moment.

Koenma stopped chanting as the light turned white and blinded everyone in the room. As soon as it had come though, it flickered and faded. Koenma nodded to Kishin silently and everyone seamed to take in a breath and held it.

He kissed her pale lips softly and lingered a moment before pulling away. He waited a moment and the girls eye lids flickered open revealing an electric blue color. She frowned and sat up wary of her surroundings.

"Who are you?" Her voice was hoarse and cracked with the strain of not using for so long. Her careful gaze lingered on Kishin and drifted over the other faces in the room, but always coming back to Kishin.

"You are Seiyoku Bakeru right?" Koenma asked tentativly.

"Hai, and you are?"

"Koenma Prince of the Spirit World." Everyone tensed as Seiyoku stiffened and got out of her coffin. Koenma quickly introduced his Spirit Detectives and shook a little as she closed in on her.

"Where is Lady Okibi fools?"

Seiyoku - sexual desire

Bakeru - to take the form of

**Well well well, five reviews. That's new and they are all on Chp. 09. More people then I though are readign this. Any who this would have been out 10/10 but I went camping for the weekend and I had today off so I got to finalize this baby. Four days, new record for me! **

**Remeber reviews makes me happy and then I write these faster, which make you happy. So take two minutes and review and good things might just come your way. (God I think I got that out of a fortune cookie. . .)**


	11. Chapter 11: The Three Dragon Demons

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 11

"Boys, here Hiei and Okibi come!" Koenma shouted as they entered his office. The portal was open and Hiei and Ki charged through it along with a few scavenger demons. Everyone grimaced at the state of the scavenger demons. Ki snarled unrepeatable words and kicked the demons back through the portal or killed them.

"Baka." Ki hissed kicking the last one through.

"THEY LIVE!" Yusuke yelled dramatically as he and Kuwabara swooped Ki up in a back breaking hug. Kurama simply shook his head at them and smiled.

"Put. Me. Down." Ki growled threateningly at the two humans but they ignored her for a few more minutes. Ki bared her teeth and let warmth flood through her body as she changed. This time instead of a dragon she turned into a perfect copy of Koenma. "PUT ME DOWN!" She did the perfect imitation of Koenma, so much that Yusuke and Kuwabara screamed and dropped her instantly.

"WHAT!" Ki glared down at them and returned to her original form.

"I'm a Dragon demon, a shape shifter. Copying someone else's form is easy. Don't insult me." Hiei smirked behind her and leaned up against the wall.

"Did you find out what you needed to get to your power?" Koenma asked lacing his fingers together and resting them on his desk. Ki nodded as a loud roar erupted from one of the monitors behind Koenma's desk.

"You think you will be able to hold Lady Okibi Koenma! I've read your mind fool, she will not fall for such an obvious trick!" Everyone in the room stiffened as Ki froze completely, mouth hanging open slightly. Ki shook as her body seamed to produce rage from every pore in her body. She ran to the monitor to see Kishin holding back Seiyoku as she screamed death threats into the camera.

"Where is she?" Ki choked out, eyes glued to the monitor.

"Prison block four-" Kurama was cut off as Ki ran past him, closely followed by Hiei.

__

'Onna, what's wrong with you? Do you know her?'

Hiei was right behind her as she launched her self over the railing, _'Onna!'_ He shouted in her head alarmed. He watched as she changed into a falcon half way down four flights of stairs.

Ki felt pangs of alarm and fear pick at her mind before they were replaced with relief and anger. Not realizing why nor caring at the moment she ignored it and landed at prison block four. She changed her form again and ran down the hallway, the cat calls of male demons stuck behind bars were only a dull chorus of voices that blended together so much that she couldn't decipher one from the other if she wanted to.

She skidded to a halt, practically falling as she faced a larger cell. Inside were Seiyoku and Kishin. With out hesitation she drew her sword and sliced through the lock and had it re sheathed before the lock broke into tow clean pieces. She kicked open the doors and entered.

"Seiyoku-chan?" Ki breathed still unsure of the girl in front of her. Seiyoku spun around angrily ready to give the new person a tongue lashing because Kishin had her hands behind her. She froze as well.

"Okibi-chan?" Ki nodded a true small smile coming to her lips. "ABOUT TIME YOU GOT HERE!" She shook off Kishin and launched her self at Ki who didn't bother to move. Hiei ran into the room as Seiyoku wrapped her arms around Ki and tackled her to the floor in a hug.

Ki returned the hug in a half daze, "I thought you had died. Everyone else is dead, I thought, they told me." She blabbered for a good twenty seconds before shutting up, "How?"

"Enma captured me. My soul was separated from my body and saved next to it. His son gave me back my soul two days ago and when I wouldn't cooperate had me locked up here with him.!" She jabbed her thumb at Kishin who was watching too shocked to speak or even move.

"Well, I think he'll have a change of heart when I talk to him." Ki said pushing Seiyoku off of her. Both girls stood and faced the pair of confused boys. "Come on."

__

'How do you know her onna?'

Hiei asked Ki, speeding up to walk just behind her.__

'She's a close friend of mine.'

"There is something wrong with you Okibi-chan, you have become weak." Seiyoku said suddenly, her voice emotionless. "There is no way you should have been able to lose all of your powers like that, unless you really aren't Okibi-chan." Ki's eyes widened as she recognized the near impossible detection of Seiyoku's power build up.

"Run Hiei," Ki breathed as she gave him a slight push in the opposite direction. Hiei scowled and didn't move as Ki suddenly tore down the hallway away from him with Seiyoku at her heels. She launched herself over the railing again and through a window. Glass shattered around her and cut through her skin easily. Seiyoku followed immediately though the glass did not harm her.

Ki free fell to get distance away from her attacker, "You think you can impersonate Lady Okibi and get away with it fool!" Seiyoku screeched after her, "Koenma is a true idiot if he thinks I can't even sense the power levels of my best friend and Queen!"

"What the hell was that!" Kishin shouted running next to Hiei as the neared the window that both girls had jumped out of. "One minute it's a reunion the next it turns into a fucking life or death match!" The boys skidded to a stop at the window to see how the fight was progressing.

Seioku had green leathery reptilian wings sprouting out of her back as she soared over Ki who was playing rabbit on the ground running and leaping in to many random directions to guess where her next move would be.

"Who is the onna flying around?" Hiei snapped, knuckles turning white from the grip he had o his katana.

"Koenma revived her two days ago. We tried to explain to her what had happened to Ki and what was going on but she didn't believe us. Nothing we said got through to her. We had planned on filling you and Ki in before she came down here to talk some sense into the woman but obviously that didn't work." Kishin said taking a step back from the window. "Damn I like this shirt."

"Koenma told us nothing." Hiei snarled.

Kishin shrugged off his jacket and shirt wordlessly. Revealing a pair of black delicately tattooed wings. They covered his entire back as though they where real. His own black wings burst through the skin easily, "Well we gotta do something." He leaped through the broken window and dive bombed the ground. Kishin unfurled his wings and let the air build up underneath them before swooping upwards to give chase to Seiyoku.

Hiei glared at Kishin's flying form for a moment, _'What are you doing onna?'_

Ki hesitated on the ground a split second giving Seiyoku a chance to swoop low over her in attempt to attack._ 'Playing cat and mouse. Just go tell Koenma what's going on. I can handle this.'_

'Onna.'

'GO!'

Hiei's scowl deepened at the thought of being told what to do. Instead he flipped open his communicator and glared hatefully at the toddler ruler. "The onna's are fighting outside. Kishin is flying after the newest onna. Fix this."

"Hiei we have our own prob-" Hiei snapped the communicator shut on Koenma's protest and jumped out of the window to join the fight below.

Kiriai stalked into her office. Ideas and battle strategies were filling her mind. But most of all what was on her mind was what she was about to do.

"Captain! Were there any deserters during the time I was gone?" Kiriai snapped.

"No my Lady. Mukuro sent a small raid of soldiers after us, but they were easily taken care of and we suffered no casualties." He reported quickly no wanting to get on his mistress's bad side.

"Good. I need a troop of four of your best soldiers and five of your best thieves. We are going deep into the makai. I have something that needs to be taken care of immediately. I will be personally overseeing this mission." The captain nodded quickly and ran out of the room leaving Kiriai to her thoughts.

She leaned against the window sill biting her lower lip deep in thought.

__

"Kiriai you of all people should know how it feels to be contained by your own flesh and blood." Satan hissed holding her by the neck against the wall, "Putting your sister through this kind of encasement will only end in your pain."

Kiriai scowled at her father but knew better then to try and talk him out of hurting her.

"Okibi is dangerous Kiriai. I thought I taught you that lesson a long time ago!" Satan shouted, he dropped Kiriai suddenly and unbuttoned his shirt. Pulling off the left shoulder he revealed an age old scar that shone silver against his skin. "This is what happened to me when I threw Okibi into a rage to see how strong she was. When she found out she was my daughter. It took awhile to throw her into that kind of fit but you are pushing it.

"Cooping her up and sealing away her powers is only going to make things worse for you in the long run." Satan pulled his shirt back on and straightened his clothing. "You are both the only heirs I have to my throne. Okibi already has her own Kingdoms on top of her place as my heir."

"So why then are you warning me about her!" Kiriai shot back at him. Spite working its way into her voice. She has always been second to her older sister. The sister she had never even met. "If she's your heir why do you even bother!"

"Because you born to take her place as my heir. That's why I had you trained so brutally. Why I refused to let you grow weak. I wanted you to rule Hell. But now you have proven once and for all you don't have enough self control for the job." Satan glared at his youngest daughter. "Your mother is pregnant with the child that will take my place on the throne should I die. I know now that pushing you too hard will not help at all. I'll have to explain things to it from the start."

He sighed heavily, "It's sad really. I had such high hopes for you."

"I will find a way to rule all three worlds! I swear I can do something even Okibi failed at!" Kiriai spat venomously, "I am better then her. I found her and brought her back. I am in complete control over her. She will yield to ME. I swear it."

Satan gave her a dead stare, "If you can do all of that, then I will give you my throne before I die."

Kiriai pounded her fist onto the window sill.

"Why do you always have something to do with ruining my life aneki-san? Even when you weren't around I was compared to you. When you are around I only become more of a failure in father's eyes." She growled, hatred filling her voice. "I swear Okibi, I will find you and crush you to can claim my prize."

"Mouken-sama! The Hell Hounds are going through another growth spurt!" Mouken looked up from his papers and watched fascinated with the growth of five more male pups. He frowned though, he had hoped at least one of them would be female.

"It seams as though females are a rarity among this race." He murmured. Turning to another screen he nearly screamed in irritation. A Vampire and Hell Hound had crossed paths and where in the process of trying to kill the other just from looking at the opposite species.

He raced into the hallway tasers and claws bared. Both Hell Hound and Vampire were still young so it would be easy to take them on with only his own powers.

"You do not have the authorization to enter here!" Koenma shouted at the man who emerged through a black portal. "Tell Satan his men are not welcome here at this time!"

The man threw his head back and laughed, sending cobalt colored hair down his shoulders. "You think I care about that Prince Koenma? No, I am here to fulfil the deal made between my Lord Satan and Lady Okibi. Nothing you will say will stop me from completing that mission, now have your Spirit Detectives step aside."

Yusuke held his spirit gun up and ready to fire at the newest intruder, "Fat chance man. How are we supposed to believe you?" Kurama put a hand on the arm that held his shot ready to go and slowly lowered it.

"Wait Yusuke we don't know if he is telling the truth."

"Man I don't care Kurama, unless he can prove it in the next five seconds I'll shot him back through the portal to where he came from!" Yusuke shouted glaring at the guy.

He laughed again and shook his head "My name is-" Yusuke released his shot and watched smugly as it slammed into its target. "Nice shot for a hanyou." Yusuke's smile fell as the man emerged from behind a smoking shield. The cobalt blue scales were engraved with a yellow dragon that matched the one on Ki's own shield. "You aren't going to win-"

Hiei came flying through the doors of the office with a loud thud and groan. Followed next by Seiyoku. Okibi came storming into the office glaring at Koenma, Kishin slipped into the room behind her quietly. She slammed her fist down on Koenma's desk ignoring everyone else.

"KOENMA I AM GOING TO KILLYOU, YOU SON OF A BITCH!" Koenma shrank away from the furious dragon demon. "If you ever try to pull another stunt like this-"

"Shiin!" Seiyoku cried catching sight of the demon standing awkwardly to the side. "Okibi-chan it's Shiin-kun!" Okibi shut her mouth and looked away from Koenma to see if it was really true. Catching sight of the gray eyed demon her mouth dropped open again.

"Shiin?" She turned back to Koenma, "This had better not be of your doing-"

"It's not I swear!"

"Come on Okibi, don't tell me you aren't happy to see me." His eyes matched his hair and shined brightly with a hidden emotion that Ki couldn't identify.

She walked up right in from of him and put a hand on his cheek. "Why is everything coming back to haunt me?" Shiin grabbed her hand in his own and smiled crookedly.

Ki felt a foreign stab of jealousy shoot through her. It wasn't her own but she didn't know where it was coming from either.

"Hey, don't blame me, I'm just doing what I'm ordered to do." Shiin lowered her hand but didn't let go, "I'm here to escort you to the temple in the makai where your bracelet is."

"I should have known." Ki said softly, her voice lowering, "The only reason why you would have come back would be for business."

"Awww, so kawaii!" Seiyoku cooed reminding the pair that there were other people in the room. "One big happy reunion."

"It would be happier if you weren't here." Shiin teased making Seiyoku pout.

"What do you mean by escorting her to a temple in the demon world!" Koenma snapped. Shiin and Seiyoku bristled with the obvious disrespect Koenma was showing Ki.

"That is where some of my power has been cooped away you damn toddler." Ki shot back, matching his disrespect with her own. "We'll be leaving as soon as everything is ready."

"Oh, no you won't! Kurama, Kishin, Hiei and Seiyoku will be accompanying you on this mission!" Ki growled.

"With so many people it will be hard to move fast and get it done without Kiriai noticing where I am!" Ki objected instantly. "Shiin, Seiyoku, and my self are all that are needed for this mission. Hiei needs to rest before you send him out on another mission!"

Koenma stared at her shocked, "Are you concerned for Hiei's welfare?" Ki clenched her jaw a light pink covering her face with out warning.

"I respect him and so far he's the only one that I can stand to be with in this hell hole. Anymore questions?" Ki glared harshly at him as Yusuke and Kuwabara sniggered in the background.

"No, but Hiei and Kurama will be going with you as soon as Hiei is well rested." Koenma ordered hotly. "Nothing will change my mind on that matter. Dismissed."

Ki growled dangerously and gave Koenma one of her coldest glares before stalking out of the office and heading toward her room. Seiyoku glanced between Ki's retreating form and Hiei to Shiin. Smiling knowingly she took off after her friend with Shiin right behind her.

"This is just great, three dragon demons to deal with!" Koenma cried banging his head on his desk.

"Does Shiin have a past?" Kurama asked curiously.

"Oh yes. He was Okibi's future mate at one point before he died. He was the first of her friends to die in battle. He was the demon version of the human Achilles from the Odyssey by Homer. A great Greek warrior who could fight like a god. He was the most violent of Okibi's followers and friends. If anyone threatened Ki he was the one who brought it upon himself to slaughter the unlucky demon. I strongly doubt he's changed very much.

"And Seiyoku is the most seductive. She was the one who had sneaked into the spirit world in the first place to bring us down from within. She was the assassin of the group and reportedly neither Shiin or Seiyoku were separated from Okibi for a long period of time. What worries me the most is with the three of them back to together Ki will turn on us now that she knows how to remove the bands and where to find her powers." Koenma rubbed his temples.

"Hiei do you think- Hiei?" The fire demon was gone. "HIEI!"

Mouken - savage dog

Shiin - cause of death


	12. 12: Soul Mates? Yeah Right, No Maybe?

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 12

Ki sat on her balcony. One leg draped over the edge of the rail the other pulled up against her chest, her chin resting on her knee. She stared at the starry sky, though not really seeing it. Her eyes glazed over emotions she was unused to filling her mind as she tried to lock them away, afraid of what they might really mean.

"Watcha thinkin abou'?" Ki nearly fell off of the railing at the sound of Seiyoku's loud voice. Seiyoku grinned triumphantly and leaned against the railing.

"Hn." Ki grunted, "Why are you here? I thought Kishin was giving you a tour of the mansion."

"He did. I got bored. Sall you being all lonely and came over." Seiyoku smiled again, "Who would have thought, the Great Okibi Dokuja, she who doesn't think she can love; has found her soul mate."

Ki stiffened, "Nani!" Ki glared at Seiyoku heatedly, "I don't have a soul mate. Besides aren't you the one who said everyone had a soul mate? Where is yours?" Seiyoku frowned, they had gone over this so many times in the past. Too many, her patience has grown thin. "You and Shiin deserve to find your soul mate more then I have."

"Well, let me ask you this. Do you get foreign emotions, you know ones that don't fit where you are at that moment? Or have you done something without being able to explain it afterward? You know something that protects another person? I can think of several similar occasion but they aren't the same. The bond between soul mates goes so deep Okibi-chan. AS you come to realize this you can turn it to your advantage. Even save your life by drawing on each other's power in dire situations."

"I don't deserve that or even love. Hell I barely even deserve the right to call you and Shiin my friends." Okibi grumbled looking out over the balcony avoiding Seiyoku's gaze.

_'She needs to understand that everyone has a chance at love. But it depends on weather or not you choose to see what's right in front of you.' _She thought bitterly.

"Don't talk like that-"

"It's true."

Seiyoku's patience snapped, snarling she grabbed Ki's collar and pulled her face to hers. "Stop it Okibi-chan. Shiin and I are you friends because we choose to be. We see what you your self refuse to see. You refuse to see the good in your own heart. Your ability to love. You call it pity or mercy. Hell you've called it a small moment of weakness during battle.

"Do you not remember when you spared the lives of a dozen demon children? You could have killed them and had every right to do so without people calling you completely heartless. But you let them live. Or the old human. He walked into the demon world by accident because he didn't know that was his power. You could have killed him like any other demon would have for the fun of it. Instead you said it would be a waste to snuff out such a wonderful ability.

"Or when we first met as kids? You were so angry then. Angry with the whole world. Demons feared you because they knew you were destined to become Queen of the shape shifters, destined to have power and demons under you. Many demons knew this and you did not. It irritated you that they knew something about you that you didn't know. Remember I wanted to know what was so great about you so I drew my sword against you? Insulting you and yelling pointless curses to goad you into a fight worth remembering. And such a fight it was and yet you still put me to near death. At that time it was custom to kill your opponent to prove your strength as a demon."

"Sei-" Ki started but closed her mouth as Seiyoku continued to rant.

"You left me there alive, barely able to draw breath but alive. For a moment I had lost control over my physic abilities and you sall my mind. You read my thoughts and feelings weather you wanted to or not. And you just stared at me blankly and said _'Killing you would only be mercy. You're slowly killing your self. But why? You have a future, and yet you are trying to throw your life away by my hands. Stop it.' _You confused me and irritated me when you stayed by my side for a night just to see if I would live. You did nothing to help but just watched. And I pulled through because of what you said. As soon as I was stable you left."

"You've only just proven my point Seiyoku, I only waited to watch you die. I didn't left a finger or bat an eye at you. Your pain amused me. Made me feel good. I did nothing worth praise." Ki snarled at her friend. Seiyoku ignored Ki's protest.

"When you met Shiin, he was the strongest of his clan. Proud and arrogant refusing to believe you were to become Queen one day. Before you were an orphan born of no one. No clan, no tribe, no family. Shiin met you on the field of battle. It took not but ten seconds for the two of you to fully throw your selves into the fight. You met him punch for punch, blood for blood, cut for cut. You were equally matched until it came to a stand still, for Shiin's physical strength surpassed yours, yet it evened out for you were much faster then him.

"I was in the shadows originally waiting for the time for my revenge. But as the fight progressed I lost that need. I watched stunned as two of the most powerful and infamous demons among shape shifters fight it out. Shiin finally slipped up, a fatal mistake. For in a blink of an eye he was disarmed and your blade slightly drawing blood from his neck. He glared and demanded that you kill him. And again you refused. This time in the name of pity. You claimed to pity him because he bore the weight of his clan on his shoulders. Because he wanted that responsibility not realizing it was clouding his mind.

"What you meant as an insult cleared his mind. Made him see what he had become compared to what he could have been, will be. Okibi-chan, you managed to save both of us. And because of that we became your friends. We became the pillars you could lean on when you needed it. That is why you deserve love and your soul mate Okibi-chan. You have earned it through all the little things that you don't even see." Seiyoku let go of Ki's collar. But didn't back down.

"I know you and Shiin used to be lovers. And I know that even as that faded you both remained close. But I have seen the way you look at him. I've seen the little things you do for your soul mate. And I know you don't, and when you do you pass it off as something else." Ki stared at her friend.

"I've committed too many sins. I have too much to account for. I can't redeam myself, so why would I even think about pulling another person in?" Ki said eyes showing the hurt and pain her voice and face did not.

"Maybe this is your chance to redeem your self. To fully commit your self to helping your soul mate follow his dreams and desires seeing how you have decided to throw yours away. You walk as though you are planning on giving up on life, but you can't because you would only hurt your soul mate. You've bonded with him even though you refuse to realize this."

"Seiyoku, even if what you say is true and I have found my soul mate. I no longer want to use him in the way I originally set out to by searching for him. Everyone I have met deserves better." Ki looked away from Seiyoku and up at the stars, "Nothing you can say will change what I intend to make the out come of this war be. "

"And that will be?"

"To kill Kiriai and thus taking my own life."

*~*~*~*~*

"Hiei right?" Hiei glanced at Shiin from the corner of his eye.

"Hn."

Shiin grinned, "You don't talk much do ya? Good because I don't either. So let's make this quick." Shiin's grin faded and his face turned serious. "Fight me."

"Why would I waste my time fighting you?" Hiei demanded even when he could feel the awesome power rolling from Shiin. Power he wanted to test himself against.

"Because I will fight you even if you don't want to." Shiin growled reaching for his sword. Hiei stood up quickly and started in the opposite direction. "Where are you going?"

Hiei looked at Shiin from over his shoulder and smirked, "We need a bigger fighting area." Shiin smiled approvingly and followed Hiei into the basement and to the training room. The few demons that were there looked over and shrank away feeling the power and certainty for a fight coming from the pair.

They stood opposite each other on the ring. Meeting the other cocky gaze and unwilling to make the first move. As though a gun shot had echoed in the room Shiin drew his sword with speed and grace, at the same time Hiei drew his katana and vanished. Shiin stiffened for a split second and brought his sword up in time to block Hiei's.

"Oh, this is interesting. Your speed and Okibi-chan's are equal, but maybe hers is just a tad faster. Oh this is going to be good." Shiin said unable to keep the anticipation from his voice.

Hiei grunted and pushed his weight against his sword to push Shiin back. Almost immediately the dragon demon pushed back. Hiei scowled and vanished again, this time Shiin tried to track him with his eyes. Hiei stopped right in front of him long enough for Shiin to focus.

"Got you," Shiin hissed bringing his sword up and cutting through Hiei. Shiin hissed lowly in pain as fists slammed repeatedly into his back as the blade slid harmlessly through Hiei. Shiin stumbled forward spinning around and caught Hiei's fist his insane precision. "I get it now. You stop for a second to leave an after image just long enough for me to take the bait. When I did you took the offensive and circled around my back. Right?"

Hiei smirked, "Right."

"Nice to know this won't be very boring." Shiin and Hiei launched at each other swords drawn. When Hiei worked into an opening to land a blow, Shiin recovered fast enough to get to the opening Hiei left behind to return the favor.

Hiei's blade swung in a graceful upward arc and was met by a harsh downward sing from Shiin's own blade. With a metallic ring the blade shook so violently that as the pair pulled away their grips loosened and the swords flew across the ring.

"Looks like we do with au-natural." Shiin grinned, "What do you say?"

"Makes no difference on the outcome of this match." Hiei said.

"Then let's do this." Shiin growled happily. He had to admit it to himself. He was having a lot of fun fighting Hiei. Even though he wasn't giving it his entire hundred percent it wasn't going to be a fight he would forget anytime soon.

Without a word Hiei sent fireballs in Shiin's direction, running out of the way swiftly Hiei's attack left scorching holes in the ground where Shiin once stood. Shiin whistled lowly seeing the damage left behind and laced his fingers together, bringing his fist down to crush Hiei's skull. Hiei moved to dodge but couldn't move quite fast enough and was clipped on the shoulder before Shiin's fists collided with the ground.

The entire room and floor shook with the resonation shock waves that emitted from the contact.

*~*~*~*~*

Seiyoku stared at her friend shocked. "Nani! You are planning on dying?"

"I've lived well past my time-" Okibi was cut off as the floor violently. Catching each others arm for balance the two stared wordlessly at each other until the tremors ended.

"Shiin-"

"Hiei-"

"The training room!" Both girls chorused racing into the house. Seiyoku fell behind her friend smiling to herself.

_'Now why would she be so worried for the boys safety? She did say `Hiei` after I sad Shiin.' _Seiyoku mused to herself as Ki flung the door open.

Both girls screeched to a stop to see demons cowering awestruck against the wall watching the fight before them. Ki followed their gaze to see Hiei and Shiin attacking each other fiercely. Bruises already forming on their skin, cuts riddled their bodies as blood flowed freely from most of them. Neither combatant noticed the girl's entrance and continued fighting fiercely almost savagely with each other. Even though Ki could see nearly all of the exterior wounds on the pair she could still see the gleaming happiness that shone through Shiin's eyes as he traded blows with Hiei.

Ki and Seiyoku scowled despite the happiness they could see coming from their friend. Ki braced her self and tensed her muscles waiting for the perfect opening to end this fight. With out a word wings, tail, and claws spouted from her body, and what looked like horns tried to rise but were forced back down by an invisible force. Seeing a small opening, just wide enough for her to get into as Hiei and Shiin launched at each other Ki sprang.

Furry fueling her speed Ki appeared between the two just as they where about to meet. Grabbing each fist in one hand, she twisted using the momentum built up from her run to throw the two in opposite directions. The two landed painfully though not as far away from each other as Ki would have like and stared at her in shock.

"What the bloody hell do you two think you are doing!" Ki seethed furry rolling off of her in deadly waves. "We were supposed to be going to the demon world as soon as possible and the two of you just had to go and hurt each other! Extending the time we have to wait to go! Time we can't afford to lose or waste on childish impulses!"

"Aww come on Okibi-chan, it's not like that." Shiin said getting to his feet with ease. "We were just testing each other you know?" Ki spun on her heel and focused on him, appearing inches from his face she growled at him.

"Testing each other?" Her blue eyes seared into his gray ones disbelief in her voice. "You-!" Shiin wrapped his arms around her tightly, holding her firmly as she struggled to get free and hold onto her furry. "Let go of me!"

Seiyoku watched slightly amused by Shiin's 'calming' method. Relief that the two demons had not caused each other serious harm she stood next to Hiei and offered her hand for him to use to get up. He scowled at Ki and Shiin, ignoring Seiyoku's hand got to his feet.

Without reason worry pricked at the back of his mind, but was soon pushed aside by jealousy and pain from his injuries. "Don't think anything of Shiin hugging Okibi-chan Hiei. It's just how he calms her. Actually I think it's the only way." Seiyoku said taking her hand back without insult.

Ki slowly forced her self to admit to Shiin's hold and relaxed, though her anger had yet to subside completely she could control it now that the shock had worn off. "Let me go Shiin." Shiin smiled somewhat smugly and kissed the top of her head.

"Sure thing." Shiin's arms fell away as she stepped out of his reach.

"Bastard did you even think about what could have happened? What if you killed Hiei, or severely hurt yourself. Hiei's not a pushover." That foreign stab of jealousy was in her head again and wouldn't leave this time when she stepped away from Shiin.

"Nothing was going to happen calm down, I'm sure Hiei and my self would have stopped if needed." His gray eyes stalked after Ki as she turned her back on him and over toward the forgotten swords. She picked them up wordlessly and examined them refusing to answer and make eye contact.

_'We would have stopped onna.' _Hiei blinked feeling the rage still boil within Ki's mind as he touched it. Didn't Seiyoku say Shiin hugging her was the only way to calm her.

_'But what if you managed to piss each other off! What if it had gone too far and you both forgot where you where! What if you were seriously hurt!' _Ki demanded half glaring at him unable to bring herself to a full glare.

Sighing heavily Seiyoku told one of the demons standing awkwardly to the side to call Boton. Ki tossed Shiin's blade over to him knowing he was coming up behind her and started over to Hiei.

"Baka oni." Ki hissed, "Sit." Hiei glared defiantly at her, saying 'no' with his eyes. Ki rolled her eyes and without a word, kicked Hiei's feet out from under him. Before his head and back could slam against the floor Ki moved behind him so he was leaning against her legs.

"Onna." Hiei growled warningly as she dropped to her knees behind him.

"Urusai." Ki said softer, unheard by Shiin or Seiyoku. "I will check your wounds before Boton gets here," she paused for a second to let that sink in. "That is unless you want her_ touching_ you to see them for herself." She emphasized touching to watch Hiei squirm.

"Hurry up." He growled and Ki smirked in victory.

"Take off your shirt baka oni." Ki ordered. Without a word Hiei leaned forward to peel off the blood soaked fabric and tossed it aside. In silence Ki's fingers skimmed over Hiei's back, probing gently at the cuts and bruises, feeling for any broken bones or torn ligaments and tendons.

A small sigh of relief escaped her as Boton rushed into the room followed by the rest of the spirit detectives in a loud chorus of voices.

"What happened here!" Boton shrieked in demand landing next to Shiin and started checking his wounds.

"Wow Hiei you and Shiin really hit it off didn't you?" Yusuke asked looking around the room calculating the damage that had been done to the room.

"Hn." Hiei grunted before vanishing from the room.

Ki scowled after him. "Ki, could you please at least wrap Hiei's wounds until he's ready to get them healed properly?" Kurama asked holding out the first aid kit. "You're the only one who can keep up with him and who he will let touch him willingly." Ki focused on him and nodded. Without a word or looking back she grabbed the kit and ran out of the room.

Hiei's injuries where slowing him down, so much so that by the time he had reached his favorite place to think away from everyone Ki had caught up with him. "Onna," Hiei growled warningly.

"Is this where you disappear to?" Ki asked ignoring him and drawing closer to him. She sat next to him just shy of the water's edge and gazed at the waterfall and churning pool underneath it with interest. The moon reflected off the water giving it an eerie but beautiful look. Everything around it was cast in a blue light that was plenty bright enough for even a human to see by.

"Hai." Hiei closed his eyes, gently tapping into her mind to feel the rage still there. "Onna, you need to calm down."

"You need to let me wrap your injuries baka." Ki shot back tone softening considerably. If Hiei wasn't absolutely sure it was Ki next to him, he would have thought it was someone else.

"Fine." Hiei grunted leaning forward some to give her room to get to his back. Ki gave him a smirk just shy of a small smile and dipped a rag into the cool water to clean his wounds. Hiei refused to wince as she applied pressure to sore spots trying to get the dried blood and dirt off. When his back was clean she applied ointments that made him shiver at how cold they were.

"To cold?" Ki asked rubbing it in gently before placing temporary patches over the wounds. Hiei grunted in reply and closed his eyes as she forced him to lay back with gentle but firm hands. She repeated the process on his chest and arms wrapping the wounds tightly. Wrapping his shoulder despite his grunt to leave it alone.

"Anywhere, else?" Ki asked watching Hiei's eyes shoot open to glare at her.

"No."

"Good." Hiei winced as Ki's fist made contact with the side of his head.

"Onna, what in Kami's name was that for?" He faced Ki's glare noticing for the first time the worry that swam underneath the furry.

"Being a baka." She threw everything back into the first aid kit and watched as Hiei got up to sit against a tree. "Why did you have to go and fight Shiin Hiei? He might have accidentally killed you." She wasn't fazed by the glare he gave her. "He lives for the rush of a fight. Shiin might have lost control fighting you. I doubt he gets many challenges in Hell and when you showed up, he jumped the gun and wanted to fight right off the back. I don't doubt your fighting abilities Hiei, I doubt Shiin's control."

Hiei's protest died on his tongue as she knelt before him. He could feel the emotions whirling dangerously within her and wasn't sure what to say as not to set her off.

_'What are you doing to me onna?' _Hiei thought, out loud he said, "You needn't worry about me."

"That is not the point!" Ki glared at him. _'His eyes, where have I seen them before?'_ "You are being rash with your life."

"I'm not begin anymore rash then when you where when consulting your father." Hiei accused, yet not denying his rashness.

"That was different. He's my _Father_ and I'm so far that I know his heir to the throne of Hell. He can't kill me. They most he would do or even could do without mother killing him would be forcing me to stay with them for a very long period of time." Ki snarled refusing to back down on this.

_'No I have never seen eyes as beautiful as his anywhere. Though Yukina is his twin, he defiantly got the better end of the deal when it came to their eyes.'_

"What do you want me to say onna, I cannot take back what has already been done." Hiei growled.

"I don't want you to do something so stupid as to threaten your life over anything so trivial as a fight with Shiin or any other demon for that matter." Ki shot back without having to think about it.

"Why do you care so much! I am the Forbidden Child! Forbidden from love, I have killed hundreds if not thousands! I am a monster! No one should care for a monster!" Hiei roared suddenly at her. "I am a thief, murderer, monster, cold-hearted demon! Why do you care! You have family that cares about you, weather or not they are in Hell matters little! You are a Princess and great warrior! Why do you even notice someone like me!" Hiei's hands curlled into fists so tight that his knuckles were turning white.

Ki's gaze wavered between anger and sadness, "Are you really all of those things? Because that's not who I see. I see a demon who has been wrongly titled because of his mothers people. I see a survivor, someone who does what they do to get along in life. Someone who doesn't give up. I see a caring brother who cares so much for his sister it hurts him to have to hide who he is from her to keep her safe even when his deal with Shigure has become void. That is who I see Hiei.

"I notice you because you have gotten my attention and I can't look away from someone who is hurting so much, and yet can hide it so easily. My family, titles, all of that can go to Hell for all I care. When it comes down to it I'm a monster, murderer, cold-hearted demon, but I have no reason for being those things. You do Hiei. Weather or not you believe me you are better then me. You do the things you do to protect your sister and to get on in life. Why I did what I did was out of boredom and fun. " Ki glared at him she put her hands over his and waited until his grip loosened out of the danger of Hiei breaking them.

"Onna, you used the past tense. Why do you do what you do now?" His voice dropped now that the worst of his anger had been wasted in shouting.

Ki looked away, past him and into the forest without really seeing it. "I don't know anymore Hiei. I need to atone for my sins. I need to find the rest of my people and declare an heir or produce one. I have to do so many things before I can set my mind to rest. Nothing is as easy as it used to be, but one thing I will do is kill Kiriai."

"Your people?"

"Hiei I'm also Queen of the Dragons or shape shifters as you call them. I'm the strongest and have the purest blood even though I'm Satan's child. There is so much I have to do I'm going to be working even from Hell to set everything straight. To maybe finally stop this acing in my soul." Ki finally looked at him. "You need to relax and take advantage of the life you are given. Do what you want and don't let anyone stop you from protecting and following through on your dreams."

Ki moved to get up, and as soon as she stood Hiei's hand snapped out and grabbed her wrist. Without a word he pulled her back down and sat her in his lap. His strong arms folded around her securely and his head rested atop hers.

_'She talks with such confidence, its as though she can see right through me. And she doesn't care. Is this even possible?'_

Ki relaxed Hiei's arms, his sent filling overwhelming her. He was so warm and sturdy a strong pillar one could lean on when needed. _'I could fall for him if I'm not careful.' _Ki thought briefly nuzzling his chest, careful not to hurt him.

_'He really does understand me, and he really listens. I really could stay somewhere cut off from the world with Hiei. And I don't think I would care at all.'_

Ki's emotions cooled off as she was lulled into a light doze by Hiei's steady breathing and heart beat. Hiei let his eyes close half way, still alert though no one knew of this buried his nose in her hair, Ki's sent was so alluring to him. Hiei felt his body and muscles relax as he held Ki. It felt right to be holding her like this. It was like she was made to fit his body.

_'She's going to be the death of me. How can she make me feel so much without trying? With a single word or look she makes me stop and rethink everything. How does she do that to me?' _Hiei tightened his grip a little, pulling her more firmly against him. _'I shouldn't think this way. I shouldn't care.'_

_'But I do.' _

­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­­**Longest chapter to date ppl. 4,958 words not counting my note. Exra long for blackrose4ever, Zegg, Kaori Minamino, dragonwingedangel, Tears of a Dark Moon, Rachaeltje Gesshoku, akatsuki'sjewl **. **Thnks for reviewing ect. Also really long 'cause i put off updating for awhile. . why y may ask? well u gotta ask!**


	13. Chapter 13: Blood and Pain

Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over

Chapter 13

Kishin and Seiyoku spotted Hiei and Ki from the air. Curled up against each other sleeping it off. Seiyoku smiled her trademark knowing smile and took Kishin's hand, "Come on, let's give them some time alone."

"But Koenma-" Seiyoku put a finger over his lips, silencing him as effectively as if she had taped his mouth closed.

"As far as I can see they aren't trying to get away. They aren't breaking any laws, just as long as they come back tomorrow we don't have to worry about a thing." Seiyoku smiled flirtingly, "Besides there are things I need to tell you about. Things that Okibi-chan and Hiei are to blind to see, but the same thing is between us too." She removed her finger and added in a sing song voice. "But you'll have to catch me first!" Seiyoku laughed teasingly when he lunged for her. Twisting out of his reach she taunted, "You'll have to get me bug boy if you want answers!"

Kishin frowned confused but took off after Seiyoku.

*~*~*~*~*

"Where do you think Ki and Hiei are?" Kuwabara asked looking at Hiei's empty window seat. "I mean they've been gone a long time. Do you think something happened?"

"Hiei's probably giving Ki a hard time as she bandages his wounds." Kurama said shrugging without looking up from his book. "This is Hiei we are talking about."

Yusuke laughed, "Yeah but you two seem to be completely clueless! They've got the hots for each other! It's obvious!"

"Yeah right Urameshi! Hiei's a cold-hearted bastard that doesn't give a shit about what people think about him unless its fear." Kuwabara shot back, it turned into a whine when Yusuke killed off his character.

"Whatever Kuwabara. But you should really watch what you say about Hiei. I mean He might hear you can come over just to kill you. Besides what would Yukina say if she heard you talking like that?" Yusuke asked smiling triumphantly as Kuwabara stared at him speechless.

"Urameshi are you defending the Shrimp!" Kuwabara demanded as Yusuke broke out into a fit of laughter.

"I thought I told you baka not to call me 'shrimp'!"

Kuwabara paled as Hiei's voice came from right next to him and the feeling of cold metal against his neck shot through him. "Hiei!"

"I should kill you baka." Hiei hissed pressing his blade closer to Kuwabara's jugular vein.

"Is he really worth it?" Seiyoku asked comming into the room Kishin close behind her. "I mean come on he's just a baka ningen. He'll get himself killed in battle then you won't have to do time in prison for killing him. It's a win, win situation."

"Hn." Hiei still didn't remove his blade from the human's neck.

"Where is Okibi-chan?" She asked seeing as how Hiei wasn't moving anytime soon.

Hiei shrugged, "No idea onna. Do I look like her keeper?"

Seiyoku laughed, "No but I would bet that you wouldn't mind it one bit if you had to keep her in lock down for a very long time. If you could control her after all." Yusuke laughing increased understanding where she was getting at. Both of them perverts.

Hiei smirked, "I think I could more then handle her." Yusuke wolf whistled the biggest grin yet on his face.

"Seriously though, where is she Hiei?"

"I don't know onna." Hiei snapped sheathing his sword and stalking up stairs wincing slightly when he rolled hi shoulder to stretch it a little.

"Hmm, oh well!" Seiyoku cheered

*~*~*~*~*

Ki's eyes were closed to the world as water pounded down upon her. Not a word escaped her, nor did the water's force push her under or off of the rock she sat on. Her shirt, pants, shoes, and socks where on the rocks far enough away from the way of the water's spray. Her mind a whirlwind of confusion.

_'Why do I care so much for people I met scarcely a month ago? How long can I continue to hides from Kiriai, surely she will find us soon. She can't be that stupid.'_

Doubts and emotions flew unbidden into her mind. The flow never seamed to stop. It's endless rush drowning her sense of time and porpoise._ 'Is it right to be here'_ Ki frowned, _'Koenma wants me to repay my sins, I can do that but, being here puts everyone in danger.'_

_'Where are you onna?' _Hiei's voice ripped through her thoughts.

_'The waterfall oni.' _Ki shot back.

_The onna with green hair is searching for you.' _Hiei said even his mental voice sounded unconcerned. '_Onna should I tell her where you are or do you want space?'_

Ki's frown lifted, he was getting her opinion for once. _'Space' _Ki could almost here his grunt of acknowledgement.

Ki opened her eyes and leaned forward so she could see out from under the waterfall as it continued to beat upon her back. Her eyes followed the swirling patterns made by the churning waters. She stared at them for an hour at least, her thoughts calming and a gradual understanding washed over her. She knew why she was still alive, why her father had given her that chance. Understood what Seiyoku had told her from the night before, but not entirely. The picture of her future formed in her minds eye. Pure and clear as though it could really happen. Yet the face of her children and soul mate remained blurred and cast in shadow. She sall the future that made her feel content. Dragon demons coming out of hiding. Her sins, redeemed and nothing kept her from her kin. Her children had bright futures full of promise and strength. Everything was perfect.

_'No.' _Ki's eyes shone with doubt._ "Nothing is perfect.'_ To get this furtuer her father could never step down from his throne, never pass on to her his title as ruler of hell. She didn't know who her soul mate was, and Kiriai wasn't dead.

"What proof is there that this could actually happen?" Ki asked no one in particular. The burning on her left shoulder that had started when she woke spread to he spine in a easy downward slope, and increased as though angered by what she had said.

With a claw Ki picked at the edge of the metal band on her right wrist without care to the small pangs of pain that shot up her arm. _'If these bands are set to take my powers all at once why are there three? Why not just one unless.' _Her thoughts trailed off as she focused on the band.

Ki gritted her teeth and readied herself for the pain she new would come. Before she could rethink her plan her dug her claws under the metal and winced as pain flooded through her system. She clenched her teeth together harder, biting into her lip drawing blood. She jerked on the metal, allowed pain induced strength and power drawn from her dragon form to pull. Blood trickled down her arm, slowly turning into a wave as she pulled harder determined to get the band off of her skin.

Her whole body shook violently with pain, but Ki didn't stop pulling. She fell to her knees and bowed over her body continuing to pull at the metal. Her claws had cut into the metal giving her an edge to grip onto and leverage to rip it off faster. A small cry tore from her lips as she pulled harder, determined to pull the metal from her skin no matter the cost.

The band ripped half way off suddenly making her twist to the side unexpectedly. Blood gushed from her wrist and onto her lap and onto the rock, into the water. The crimson pool caught Ki's eye as pain clouded her vision. She watched the swirling waters as pain ripped through her body. Touching every fiber of her being and setting it ablaze. This time a scream ripped from her throat, passing through her lips and resonating throughout the air.

The metal ripped free of her skin in a bloody mass. Strength to continue vanished from Ki's body. It felt as though it was leaving through her blood as her eyes drooped. Feeling drained from her mind as numbness took over. Her vision went black as Ki pitched forward into the water losing consciousness.

*~*~*~*~*

Kiriai dropped her sword and clutched her right wrist as pain shot through her body in tremendous waves. She fell to her knees among the slaughter around her and growled.

"My Lady!" One of the soldier's she had brought with her cried out in alarm.

"It's nothing, keep going!" Kiriai barked picking up her sword and thrust it into the body of a demon that tried to attack her from behind. Rubbing her wrist she started forward.

__

'Damn her Okibi. She's either pulled off the band or has attempted to at the very least. That bitch will be found soon I swear it.'

*~*~*~*~*

"Okibi-chan!" Everyone in the room whirled around at the sound of Seiyoku's alarmed cry. She fell to her knees as Hiei entered the room with sweet snow in hand. "She's hurt! Oh god can feel it! Who's doing this to her!"

Kishin put a hand on Seiyoku's shaking shoulders "How do you know?"

"I have a physic connection with her sometimes. Have no control over it, but that doesn't matter now!" Seiyoku yelled, "I can feel her pain right now and it's overwhelming."

Hiei put his sweet snow on the counter and growled, "Don't touch my sweet snow." Kurama smiled almost knowingly as the fire demon ran out of the room.

Hiei's heart was racing as he nearly flew his secret spot. The smell of blood permeated the air, making Hiei growl. It was Ki's blood, it grew stronger and stronger as he neared the waterfall. Hiei jumped into the trees, nearly losing his footing as a scream tore through the air.

"Onna."

Hiei arrived at the lake's bank to see the end of Ki's black hair fall into the blood stained water. Without stopping to think Hiei stripped off his cloak and dived into the water. He could see Ki's form slowly drifting toward the bottom and could feel her energy levels dropping at an alarming rate. Quickly he grabbed her by the waist and kicked upwards furiously. Breaking the surface of the water Hiei pulled Ki to shore and onto the bank.

"Onna!" Ki refused to respond but she was breathing. Hiei glared at her and lifted her wrist to inspect it carefully. Eyeing the bloody skin with distaste Hiei ripped his cloak into strips and wound them around her wrist to stop the bleeding.

The sound of crashing brush and leaves brought Hiei to attention and he crouched over Ki protectively, hand on his sword. Shiin burst through the brush alarmed and obviously breathing hard. Seeing Hiei over Ki made him frown, "How."

"Hn." Hiei grunted carefully taking Ki into his arms and cradling her against his body. Shiin stepped to the side as Hiei walked by her. He put a hand on Hiei's injured shoulder and squeezed making Hiei wince in pain.

"Maybe I should carry her. You're still injured." Shiin said not looking at Hiei but at Ki's limp form.

"I can carry her on my own," Hiei grunted and pulled out of Shiin's grip. He started for the mansion leaving Shiin and a small wet trail behind him.

When Hiei walked through the front doors Boton and Seiyoku jumped to their feet and rushed over to him to see what was wrong with Ki.

"Well! What was attacking her!" Seiyoku demanded, as Boton shouted, "That was fast, are you sure you get all of them!"

"As far as I can tell the onna did this to her self." Hiei hissed pushing past the two road blocks and started up the stairs. "Kitsune, I need you to heal her wound." Kurama grabbed the first aid kit and followed Hiei up the stairs.

Hiei set Ki down on her bed and stepped to the side so Kurama could inspect Ki's arm and wrist. Gently both he and Hiei worked together to clean away the blood and get a good look at the open wound. As Kurama inspected it Hiei pried away the blood covered mass in Ki's clenched fist.

"She ripped off the band." Hiei and Kurama chorused in unison. Hiei glared at Kurama who just chuckled a little. "Ki's lucky the band wasn't to closely molded with her veins. Otherwise she could have bleed out before you go there Hiei. She's ripped up a whole layer of skin as well- there's metal under her skin Hiei."

Hiei's head snapped over to Kurama to watch closely as Kurama carefully pulled a long strip of metal out of Ki's wrist. "It's been drawn up to the surface by the removal of the other band. I think it was against her bones Hiei. This means, well I think that if Ki had survived that on her own, this was the back up implanted in her own flesh so that when she woke, it would look as though she had failed."

"Hn. The onna's just lucky you caught it before it revealed itself the hard way kitsune." Hiei grunted as everyone else plowed their way into the room.

"Well?"

"She'll be fine." Kurama assured Seiyoku as she inspected the bandages around Ki's wrist.

"If you say so. You're way of wrapping wounds is weird to me, but I won't go into it right now." Seiyoju said eyeing the blood dripping form Hiei's fingers. "That's not yours is it?"

"No." Seiyoku nodded.

"You had better start explaining everything."

**I guess you could say your prayers have been answered. (Not relidigeous [sp?] people) Anyway if anyone got confused I posted the super long one beacuase I HADN'T updated in awile so no more paniking (kay Rachaeltje?)**

**Dang 20 reviews? That's like 20 more then I thought I would have by now!**


	14. Chapter 14: A Walk Down Memory Lane

Chapter 14

"Let me make sure I have this straight." Shiin said running a hand through his cobalt lock with a sigh, "Okibi-chan has a younger sister that had found her while she was `sleeping` and has bound Okibi-chan to her. Okibi fled her sister and came here looking for help about her bonds, which are sealing away her powers and making her a lot weaker then she really is. Since then she's agreed to become Koenma's temporary lapdog and is to do other jobs for him when the war is over. She's also traveled to Hell and made an unknown deal with her father."

"That sums it up." Kurama said lacing his fingers together.

Seiyoku examined the metal she held in her hand with wonder, "How long has it been exactly? For people to have come up with something like this. It's amazing. Same with that tv thing the baka's are always fighting over." She glanced around the room. "Hiei's still watching over Okibi-chan?"

Shiin grunted, "He hasn't budged from his window in her room. I don't like him."

Seiyoku laughed, "Aww still in love with Okibi-chan?"

Shiin narrowed his eyes and glared at Seiyoku, "Witch, stay out of my head."

"Don't call her a witch." Kishin growled coming to stand at Seiyoku's side as though trying to intimidate Shiin.

Shiin ignored him, "Under your `influence`?"

Seiyoku grinned wickedly, "Nope."

*~*~*~*~*

Ki moaned softly feeling pain shoot up and down her arm. She experimentally tried to move her fingers. When nothing happened Ki began to fight to open her eyes. Pain slowly started to make it's self fully known as it raced up and down her spine, spreading from her shoulders to her mid back in throbbing agony. Finally she forced her eyes open only to meet with cold crimson ones staring down at her fiercely.

"What happened?" Ki asked, pain shot up and down her arm, increasing as she tried to move it.

"Try to remember onna." Hiei grunted, impatient to find out why she ripped the band off of her arm. Ki frowned as the black curtain covering her memory wavered, but did not leave.

_'Think onna.' _Pain distracted her from focusing what little energy she had on removing the curtain.

"I can't, I can't remember. What happened?" Ki demanded meeting Hiei's gaze with force.

"Hn, you were supposed to tell me." Hiei grunted and narrowed his gaze on her forehead. Ki glared back at him as he delved into her mind, walking into the passages looking for the lost memories. When Hiei reached the door that lead to her memories, Ki forgot who he was as he started to open the door. Instinct pushed her to form a barrier around her memories and lashed out at Hiei catching him off guard. Crystalline spears shot out at Hiei and forced him backwards.

_'Onna!'_ Hiei growled, the spears receded as a mental image of Ki formed next to him.

"You barged into my head. Without warning I might add. What else was I supposed to do when someone goes riffling through my head?" Ki demanded. Hiei smirked, in her head Ki was much more forward and aggressive. It made sense, she was in her own mind, she didn't have to make any kind of impression on people in here, in her sanctuary.

"Hn. Let me in, I'm going to break through whatever barrier is keeping you from your memory." Hiei grunted. Ki fixed him with a level stare, but did not hesitate in lowering the barrier.

_'That's a lot of trust.' _Hiei thought absentmindedly.

He stepped through the door, closely followed by Ki and looked around. Doors everywhere, billions of them, some floating, sideways, upside down, scattered randomly about the room, and the room seamed to have no end. Doors in a multitude of colors and makes. Impossible to tell how many there were and if they were blocked off or not. And on top of that there were millions of stair cases scattered about the room, also in a multitude of colors and sizes and in a million different angles, floating in mid air.

"Good luck."

Hiei glared accusingly at Ki as she stared around the room without much of a care as to how things turned out. She caught his gaze and raised an eye brow.

"What? It's not like I asked you to find my memories for me."

*~*~*~*~*

"Now this is more like it!" Yusuke cheered pumping his fist into the air of the human world.

"Why are there metal boxes on wheels rolling around everywhere?" Seiyoku asked stepping out into the street not caring about the car rolling toward her.

"Oi!" Kishin grabbed her arm and pulled Seiyoku back before the car hit her. "Watch out, those 'metal boxes' could turn you into an dragon pancake."

"Yusuke!" Keiko, and Shizuru rounded the corner of an ally and spotted the group. Kieko waved dramatically and ran for them followed my Shizuru who was walking instead.

"Hey Kieko!" Yusuke was smacked to the ground by the brunette as she glared at him.

"You come for a visit to the human world for once and you don't even tell me!?" Kieko demanded shaking her fist at him.

"Hey it's not like that! I mean we only just got here and we have to teach Seiyoku about the human world an everything. This wasn't planned!" Yusuke coward behind Kurama was smiling to himself.

"Calm down Kieko, it's just luck we ran into them here anyway." Shizuru said putting a hand on the smaller girl's shoulder.

"Yeah right. Wait! Who's Seiyoku?" Kieko asked looking around.

"Oh yeah! You haven't met her yet have you? Well she-?" Yusuke started turning around expecting to find the blue eyed dragon demon and Kishin there.

"She?"

"Yusuke Seiyoku's gone."

*~*~*~*~*

Yukina and Genkai followed behind Koenma as he led them down the halls of the mansion. Heading for Shiin's room, "Shiin's the dragon demon sent over by Satan. He and Hiei recently got into a fight and both were injured. I was hoping Yukina could heal him, he won't go to the healers or let Boton get too close to him."

"Hm, I want to see these dragon demons of legend." Genkai mumbled crossing her arms.

"What about Ki-san?" Yukina's soft voice seamed to bounce off of the walls as Koenma fell silent. "She and Hiei-san seamed close, so wouldn't she have tried to put a stop to the fight?"

"She did, stopped it from going to far actually." Koenma said gruffly not sound too happy about it. He stopped in front of a plain door and knocked. "Shiin's room."

"Come in." Shiin called through the door tiredly. Koenma led Yukina and Genkai into the room to find Shiin sitting on his bed shirtless and cobalt hair wet. "Hullo." The cuts covering his body were minor as where the bruises but should have at least caused some soreness. Shiin moved as though he didn't even know about them at all.

"Can I help you with something?" Shiin asked grabbing a towel and started to dry his hair with it.

"I'm Yukina. Koenma-sama has asked me to heal your injuries for you." Yukina said in her quiet voice.

Koenma cut in before Shiin could try and turn the offer down. "I want you to be in top form for this journey your leading into the makai. If you aren't in shape then everyone else could get hurt." Genkai coughed from next to him, reminding him of her presence. "And this is Genkai. She wants to speak with you."

Shiin frowned but nodded his head in defeat. With a grunt he sat back down onto a stool and nodded to Yukina who had come forward slowly. She quickened her pace smiling a little. "So what do you want to talk about Genkai?"

"How is it you're still alive?"

Shiin raised an eyebrow, "I'm not. I'm dead well technically anyway. I'm sure Koenma told you both already. Lord Satan sent me to take care of a deal he made with Lady Okibi."

"'Lady Okibi'? She's your superior?" Genkai asked raising an eye brow, "Witch one of you is going to wake the other dragon demon's from their slumber?" Shiin shivered as Yukina's ice cold hands suddenly pressed against some of his wounds.

"Gomen." Yukina muttered healing his wounds.

Shiin glared at Genkai, "How do you know of them? Not even Lady Okibi knows about their slumber."

"It doesn't matter now anyway. Even if you do wake them up you won't be able to keep them from killing each other. There is no Dragon ruler, they won't just follow who ever wakes them." Genkai said fixing Shiin with a hard stare.

Shiin glared back baring his teeth a little, "Do you even know who I am? I've killed hundreds of demons with a single breath. I could kill you right now if you continue to insult me, I'm thousands of years old and have much more experience with dragon demons then you could even imagine old hag." Shiin stood up to his full height and toward over Genkai, who was a bit taken aback by his change in personality.

"But I am no fool, and I know you Genkai. And I know how weak you have become since passing your powers on to Urameshi Yusuke. Yes I know about that." Yukina had finished healing his wounds a minute ago and took a small step back from behind Shiin. "If you want anymore answers you will have to seek them else were. Perhaps with the Queen of the Dragons herself."

Koenma's eyes widened and his jaw dropped, a scared look covered his face as the information sank in. Shiin turned to Yukina persona changing yet again. "Otsikaresama* Yukina-chan. I feel better now, and sorry if I scared you." Turning back to Koenma Shiin talked with a tone of obvious dismissal. "I thank you for you concern Koenma, good bye."

*~*~*~*~*

"Onna, do you know where your damn memory is?" Hiei growled after Ki stopped him from entering a door that contains private memories of her and Shiin together.

"Yes."

"Why didn't you tell me before?" Hiei demanded whirling around to face Ki's stubborn stare.

"You never asked oni." Ki shot back calmly, not the least bit intimidated by Hiei's anger and frustration. Hiei closed his eyes in attempt to calm himself.

"Where is the door onna." Ki's lips twitched into the ghost of a smile as Hiei started down the flight of stairs, upside down.

"The steel one forty feet to the left." Hiei's crimson gaze shot to the door that was causing all of this. With renewed porpoise and curiosity Hiei started for the door. Just as he reached for the latch, a black curtain shot down and covered the entire doorway.

"Hn." Hiei glared at the offending curtain and watched Ki from the corner of his eye. Her face fell in disappointment as the truth was yet again hidden from her. This time she was so close, and yet for a reason lost to her, she hid it from herself.

Hiei grabbed a fist full of the curtain and ripped it away from the door. "I never thought of trying that." Ki muttered to herself and Hiei lifted the latch on the door. The seen, emotions, thoughts, and images played to fast for Hiei to follow. Everything rushed around Hiei in a loop that was only made sense to Ki who gasped in recognition.

Abruptly Hiei was thrown out of the memory and into the open doorway of another, and Ki simply vanished.

"What the hell do you mean Satan's my father!"

Hiei spun around recognizing the angry voice. Ki, looked slightly younger and less collected. Her eyes resembled nothing of the hidden thoughts and collected emotions Hiei was used to seeing. Instead they held the ignorance of youth and hatred. So many lives lost at the bite of her blade, the sting of her tongue, her anger and strength. The blue eyes he saw of this Ki were completely different from the Ki he was with physically.

The small demon, blue and closely resembled David, started to look unsure of himself but more afraid of the dragon demon in front of him. The dragon demon who just slaughtered eight demons with her bare, and now bloody, hands.

"You think that you can just come up from Hell and tell me that I'm Satan's daughter?" Ki started to circle the demon, like a cat stalking its prey. "And what proof do you have of this? That is if you aren't lying to me."

"Lord Satan, at your birth, thought it best for you to grow up in the makai, among those still alive. And if you were truly his child, a true dragon demon, then you would survive until your hundredth and twenty third birthday. Today. And see as how you have, and have obtained remarkable power for one so young he wishes to see you in person, and welcome you home like a proper father would." The demon coward away from Ki as she slashed at the ground with her sword in irritation.

"I'm the daughter of no one. I belong to no clan. I am an outcast among my own people, and you think that you can jest come up from Hell and tell me _'Daddy' _wants to see me?" Ki's voice grew in volume as she spoke, drawing the attention of a demon behind her, one she had not noticed.

Hiei should have been in Ki's sight by now. Either she was ignoring him, or she just couldn't see him. Hiei opted for the later, it was her memory not a dream he could take form in and meddle with. A memory was a fixed thing.

"I am simply the messenger!" The demon cried out seeing a cobalt dragon slink out of the forest behind them. "I can take you to him if you do not believe me! Please let me prove to you I am telling the truth!"

The dragon shifted, changing into a boy Hiei recognized as Shiin, he was also younger looking. He was less muscular and not as tall as he was now but over all the same. But his eyes had an obvious difference. The cool and passive gray eyes, were now wild with blood lust and a lust for a fight. His cobalt hair framed his eyes in a way that made them look feral and even more dangerous, Shiin's overall appearance reeked of danger and death.

Shiin came up behind Ki and placed a hand on her shoulder a twisted grin crossing his face, showing off his fangs. "Well now, Okibi-chan, who's your annoying pest of a visitor?"

The blue demon moved back a little, now not even bothering to hide his fear of the two demons. "Y-you're Shiin Kyoujin*!"

Shiin inclined his head in mock politeness. "He says I'm Satan's spawn." Ki spat pointing her sword at the unlucky demon, "I don't think I want to meet him just yet if you don't mind." Ki's voice was so thick was sarcasm you could have cut it with a knife.

The blue demon nodded and swallowed hard. Without another word he waved his hand and a crimson portal appeared behind him. "Then I'll be taking my leave then-" Shiin lunged forward and grabbed the smaller demon by the throat.

"If you really want to prove to Okibi-chan what you say is true, bring Satan here. Let HIM tell us in person, and tell him this from me." Shiin produced a dagger from his belt and slashed the demon's stomach open without hesitation. "Send more messengers and I'll slaughter them regardless of how many there are." Shiin threw the demon into the portal and faced Ki, stashing his dagger away.

"I could have handled him myself." Ki said crossing her arms and looking away childishly.

Shiin's back faced Hiei now, as he pulled Ki into a tight embrace. "Yeah I know, but you need to be ready to declare this war on everyone your planning. You don't need trivial things like this on your mind." Hiei frowned as the seen faded and he was abruptly jerked from the memory.

"Having fun?" Ki asked venomously glaring hard at Hiei in anger.

"Onna, it was an accident. I didn't mean to enter-"

"But you stayed to watch!" Ki hissed, "My mind is my last true sanctuary. I don't like having people going through it. Now get out!" Hiei was thrust into his own body forcefully and found himself on top of Ki on the bed.

He must have moved without knowing it while in her mind, and Hiei scrambled off of the bed. "Hn." He could feel Ki glaring at the back of his head as he ripped open the door and passed into the hallway.

Otsukaresama* - many thanks

Kyoujin* - assasin's dagger

**ello ppl. writers block took a toll on me, well teh transition between one point to another did anyway. enjoy and **

**HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!**


	15. Chapter 15: Okibi, Aishiteru

Chapter 15: "Okibi, Aishiteru"

"Okibi-chan, can I heal you're wrist?" Yukina asked seeing the dragon demon in obvious pain with bloody bandages wrapped tightly about her wrist. Koenma didn't bother to hide his disapproval but said nothing as the ice koorime sat next to the dragon demon.

"Yukina, I told you to call me Ki." Ki said letting go of the anger that had welled up inside of her after Hiei's 'adventure' while she was so close. Yukina's pure innocence made it hard for anyone to be angry indefinitely.

"Was this supposed to be some kind of suicide attempt?" Koenma demanded bitterly. Ki fixed him with a level stare that clearly read _'That's none of your buisness'_ But answered him anyway.

"No."

"Then what was it?"

"A test."

"About?" Ki smirked knowing Koenma didn't like being kept in the dark.

"A theory."

"Damn it woman! Why did you conduct this 'test' and what did you do?"

"Nothing to worry about." Koenma turned as red as a cherry and looked as though he was about to pop.

"Leave the girl alone Koenma. , it's obvious she isn't going to tell you anything but minor details that make no sense without the entire picture." Genkai snapped. Ki inclined her head in thanks and welcome. Ki relaxed as the searing pain in her arm started to ease. "Now are you a dragon demon?"

Ki raised an eye brow at Genkai, "Have you spoken to one lately?"

"Shiin." Ki nodded her head, if Shiin would talk to Genkai then she must be really looking for something and Shiin had either refused to tell her, or couldn't.

"Yes I'm a dragon demon, but first who are you?"

"Genkai, Yusuke's teacher."

"You don't look like a crazy old hag." Ki mused out loud, knowing it would get the detective in trouble.

"What can you tell me about the Queen of Dragons?" Genkai gave Ki a cold stare as the youkai froze. Ki closed her eyes, suddenly looking very tired. Almost as though her real age had finally caught up with her.

"Nothing. She was a myth born in the Dragons greatest age. A myth who died along with the fall of the dragon demons. Why does it matter anyway?" Ki demanded, she wanted to know why this woman, how this woman knew of the Dragon Queen. Knew of her supposedly well kept title.

"You were born in the Dragons greatest age. I would like to know more about who or what could have possibly pulled dragon demons together, like you did." There was a small glint of knowledge hidden behind Genkai's eyes, like she was going to use Ki to get the answers she wanted.

Ki's eyes snapped open, rage returning in a red flash that nearly blinded her. The hidden anger bled through the carefully constructed mask Ki made, to hide her expression. "Does it even matter? The dragons are dead, their vision of a New World along with them. That is what brought them together Genkai. All I did was take their dream and twisted and magled it until it matched my ambition and gave me an army of demons that made it easy to conquer the weaker demon races." Ki explain sourly, "All I did was twist words around."

"What was your ambition?" Yukina asked suddenly having finished healing Ki's wound and, cutting Koenma off before he could even start.

"What do you think it was? Based off of the stories and what you know about me, what do you think it was?" Ki asked, relieved the conversation had turned away from the dragon demons.

"To take over all three worlds, destroy the human race, and place yourself above everyone else." Koenma said immediately, scorn obvious in his voice. Daring Ki to tell him otherwise.

"Lord Koenma!' Yukina cried in shock, "I don't know the stories, and I don't know much about Okibi-san, but I don't think that was her ambition." Ki stared at Yukina in shock, uncertain how much as ignorance or plain stupidity. The koorime just said so little, but it meant so much to know she trusted Ki that much.

"Arigato Yukina." Ki whispered so quietly that barely Yukina could even hear her. "That wasn't what I wanted Koenma. You're wrong. What would have happened, if on demon split his power between three others. Like the Demon Kings that had formed on their own. If that one demon had built up their kingdoms so that they depended completely on each other. Power was spread equally between the three. So that each branch of power was so delicately intertwined with each other that it would have been impossible for one of them to rise to power without killing himself because for survival they had to depend on each other. And because the Spirit World would have marched down to tear this apart while it was in its delicate stage of getting everyone to cooperate and understand. BEACAUSE SUCH an agreement, "Ki raised her voice over Koenma's as he started to protest, "would be a deadly threat against the rekai and ningenkai."

Once Ki finished Koenma immediately started arguing, "That is impossible! No one could possibly accomplish that. Demons can't be held together in such a delicate balance. It's impo-"

"Impossible?" Ki cut him off frowning, "No, demons were more savage then. They would have followed anyone who had brains and had leadership and power. Dragon demons did not fit in, not in this world I dreamed of. So I had to think of an alternative or a change, because I would not even dare to try to kill off my own race. So they became a forth party enforcer. Completely independent of the other demons. They would live in the Spirit World. And the demons there would be moved back into the makai. Any other spirit beings would exist in peace with the dragons. Slowly this would become a way of life and humans would be brought in slower then that."

Yukina smiled understanding what Ki's ambition was, "You wanted perfect harmony between all three worlds. " Ki nodded, "So why start a war between the three?"

"Seamed to be the best thing at the time. There was no way to do it peacefully; bringing everyone under one leader first was the easiest way. You might not see it now but then everything relied on your power and status in battle above everything else."

*~*~*~*~*

"What do you mean she's gone! Aw man!" Yusuke started to panic and move people out of his way so he could look around.

"Who is Seiyoku?" Keiko demanded as Yusuke moved her out of the way to look behind her.

"She's Ki's best friend and if anything happens to her it will be my fault and Ki will take it out on me, injured or not Ki will kill me!" Yusuke explain freaking out and looking around frantically.

"Why is Okibi-chan going to kill you?" Yusuke jumped as Seiyoku appeared behind him, ice cream cone in hand. She cocked her head to the side in confusion.

"What- where did you- How did you!" Yusuke sputtered unable to get the questions out.

Seiyoku blinked in confusion, "Umm the guy over there offered me sweet snow for free so I went over there and got some. Then came back." Yusuke fell over at the simplicity of her explanation and the stupidity of it.

*~*~*~*~*

Ki thanked Yukina for healing her and bade the trio of visitors' good-bye. She shook her head, trying to clear the fog that had come with the memories of her past. Ki grabbed a change of clothes and hopped into the showers, hoping the steam would clear her head.

'_That world I once dreamed of is now too far out of reach to even dream of it anymore. How did Genkai find out about me? She doesn't know I'm the Dragon Queen yet, but the fact she is searching cannot be good.'_ Ki let the hot water pour over her acing muscles for a minute before grabbing the soap.

'_Why does Koenma always have to bring up the past I am trying to burry behind me? Even though I mean to repay for my sins, he keeps digging deeper making me see my self and others differently. I don't like how the toddler is making me second think everything.'_ She refused to admit to herself however that Hiei was doing the same thing. Though granted a little more subtle about it.

Stepping out of the shower she dried herself off and changed clothes quickly. Ki rolled her shoulders and grimaced as pain started from the base of her neck, covered her left shoulder and started down her spine. Not unbearable, but certainly distracting. She entered her room to find Shiin sitting on her bed looking a little agitated.

"Shiin?"

"Okibi-chan, don't do this to yourself." Shiin jumpd off of the bed to stand in front of her and grabbed her right wrist and inspected the white scar that stood out against her pale skin. Where the metal band used to be. "Don't do this, keeping everything locked up inside. Tell me what's wrong. I've known you long enough to know when you're really hurting inside."

"Shiin, you know by now don't you? This is one problem you can't help me kill. And I don't want you to. You'll only get hurt and I need to do this by myself this time." Ki's voice softened as the Shiin she once loved started to come through the mask of indifference. He glowered at her not wanting to hear that at all.

'_Can't she understand? I want to bear her pain with her.' _"Hey, I want to help. After you changed my life, all I've ever wanted was to help you. Bear your pain for you or with you. And when Enma threw you out of that tower, when I saw your body, I nearly died myself." Shiin pulled her onto his lap as he sat back on the bed.

Ki bit her lip, "Is that when you started to get overly careless with your life and how you fought? Because I died?" Shiin nodded and Ki cupped his face with her free hand. "Damn it Shiin, I didn't want that to happen. I wanted you to live long enough to find your soul mate." Her voice hardened, "Instead you went and died as I came back to life!"

Shiin grinned stupidly, "So? We're together now. I won't let anything stop that this time." Ki put a finger over his lips to quiet him.

"Just because you're dead doesn't mean you're invincible baka. You can still die again, and this time you won't come back in heaven or hell, maybe you won't even be reincarnated." Ki removed her finger as his eyes widened slightly. "Just don't die on me okay? That's all I want you to do for me. Anything else you do on your own free will. Because you want to, not because I want it done and it's easier if you do it to save time as I do something else for war."

"I do everything because I want to Okibi-chan. I volunteered for this because I would get to see you again. And maybe I could still succeed in where I had failed last time. Protecting you from death yourself." Shiin grabbed her other hand and pulled it away from his face, lacing his fingers with hers they fell into a comfortable silence.

'_When will she realize it? I don't care if she isn't my soul mate. I just don't give a damn if I run smack dab into her. Okibi will still be the only woman I will ever want.' _

Ki was a whirlwind of conflicting emotions. Part of her wanted to tell Shiin that she wasn't going to leave his side again. But it didn't feel right. Something had changed without her notice and she was slightly uncomfortable with Shiin becoming the youkai she fell in love with so many years ago. Both of them had changed in the time they had spent apart and did different things to get by. Shiin clung to the past in hopes his life would return to normal. Ki tried to burry the past and develop a new life now, after she had given up hope.

"_Do you get foreign emotions; you know ones that don't fit where you are at that moment? Or have you done something without being able to explain it afterward?" _

Seiyoku's words sprang unbidden into her head. Did she get foreign emotions? Yes, at times Ki felt like it, opposite of what she was truly feeling at the time. She had done a few questionable things sense she started to really live again though under Koenma and Kiriai's control. And none of them had a secure reason she could grasp. It was hidden from her, yet also right in front of her nose. This hadn't happened before, she hadn't found her soul mate before.

But now, she had.

Ki stiffened coming to the unwanted truth she had hid from herself. She had found her soul mate. She had found her chance to love. She had found her chance to be with someone who truly loved her back. Someone, who she could give her whole heart to, and know that they wouldn't take it to betray her, but to offer theirs in return. But there was one problem.

She still didn't know who he was.

'_Aw crap, Seiyoku and Father are right. I have found my soul mate. But I don't know who he is, and I'm not sure I want to. It could only make things harder in the upcoming battles. On the other hand, it could make things easier. Seiyoku said soul mates could share their energy with each other, even saving their lives. . .' _Ki's thoughts trailed off as Shiin rested his forehead against hers, and she was too distracted to even care.

*~*~*~*~*

Hiei finished cutting through the last the within his blade's reach. Ki was angry with him, but why did he care even a little? Just another pissed onna. Right? No, something was different about this onna. He felt it when she had wrapped his injuries, and argued with him at his hideaway. He knew it wasn't just her sent, or that she listened to him without judgment when ever he talked. Something was way off.

Hiei scowled and clenched his teeth. This feeling, this _emotion_, was all wrong. He didn't know what it was, and he wasn't sure he wanted to know. But the fact that it was changing him, was slowly becoming alarming.

'_This is her fault. It wasn't my fault her mind is a mess of scrambled memories and feelings. Not my fault the memory thrust me out and into another one.' _Hiei started back through the forest toward the mansion. _'I was in her sanctuary. And she let me in, I didn't ask her to. I just did so I would know why she nearly killed herself.'_ Hiei knew just how private the sanctuary of one's mind could be. It was a person's last solace against the world, a nearly impenetrable fortress.

'_Maybe I should try to tell her it was my fault. Then she might cool off.' _Hiei wasn't going to let himself use the word apologize. It made him sound weak and pathetic, to apologize to a onna even though it was her fault in the first place.

He trudged back to the mansion silencing his thoughts before they got the better of him. Hiei ignored the gang that had returned from the human world and silently stomped up the stairs. He didn't even bother to knock but let the door open slightly, just enough to slip in before he froze completely.

Ki was straddling Shiin's lap, just sitting there as they stared into each other's eyes, seeming lost to the word around them. Their foreheads rested against each other, and their fingers laced. Hiei could feel pure dread and anger well up inside of him at the sight. A pang of hurt hit him harder then he could have ever thought possible then Shiin started to speak.

"Okibi, Aishiteru*."

Aishiteru* - I love you

**Okay Happy New Year, and all that jazz you know? **

**Haha got you all with the ending.**


	16. Chapter 16: A Visit From Satan, Nani!

Chapter 16: A Visit From Satan, Nani!

"King Satan, to what do I owe the pleasure?" Koenma asked nervously as the demon from Hell stepped through a portal and into his office right on time considering the short notice of his arrival. He was dressed similar to the way he had when Ki met him the throne room, but his hair combed, and Satan wore a suit jacket over his shirt.

"Prince Koenma, I wish to see my daughter. I've heard she is under your charge by choice." Satan said smoothly ignoring Koenma's nervous looks. It seams the little prince has finally met an authority greater then his and maybe even his fathers for the first time. "That is of course if it is okay with you, this is your place of residence."

Koenma nodded, "Of course. I can have George show you to her unless you would rather find your own way." Koenma was calming a little at Satan's polite almost business like manner. Satan nodded in thanks and Koenma summoned George to his side. "Take Lord Satan to the Spirit detectives, mansion and show him to the living room. If Okibi isn't there have Yusuke or one of the others find her.

"But Lord Koenma, aren't Ki, Hiei, Shiin, Kurama and Seiyoku going into the makai today? Yukina healed Hiei so all of them are ready to go." George said avoiding Satan's gaze the best he could.

"The hurry up!" Koenma shouted. George and Satan left the room swiftly. The ogre, who didn't want to be in the company of the King of Hell longer then was required started in a jog. Only to find the ruler keeping up easily with long swift strides, looking quite at home. They reached the mansion and George let them in clumsily trying to rush things. Satan entered the room, and immediately claimed all attention in the room.

"Hey man, who are you?" Yusuke asked, a little rudely after pausing his game. Satan raised an eye brow, humans were truly amusing creatures.

"Can you tell me where Okibi Dokuja is?" Satan asked politely ignoring Yusuke's question. The black haired human scowled but pointed into the kitchen.

"She'll be out in a second." Yusuke said turning back to his game. He and Kuwabara played their game with less enthusiasm then before. Satan's presence made everyone in the room wary of the demon. Especially because he came in asking for Ki without giving his name first.

Satan smiled pleasantly and leaned against the wall watching the group with an even gaze. Two human males, two human females, one male youkai, and one koorime. An interesting group to be sure. He was surprised that they were aware of his presence enough not to let down their guard, on the contrary they raised it even higher then it normally was. Well they were in the middle of a war after all.

Ki walked into the room, literally pushing Seiyoku in front of her, trying to get her out of the way. They were followed by Kurama who followed shaking his head in slight disappointment at the behavior.

"Damn it Seiyoku, we don't have the time for this." Ki growled giving the dragon demon a hard shove that sent her sprawling into Kishin.

"Okibi." Satan called out quietly easily getting her attention. Ki whipped around to face him, face turning to one of shock before cooling over into one of distain.

"Father."

It only took one word to send the room into a whirlwind of confusion. "He's your father!"

"You look nothing alike, wait he's too young to be your father!"

"Aww man another Ki to deal with!"

Irritated and impatient Shiin roared above the crowd, "Urusai! Show your respect!" Satan waved his hand uncaring.

"It does not matter Shiin. Anyway, I've come to talk to you Okibi." Ki crossed her arms frowning slightly. "How about a more private place?" Ki clentched her jaw.

"I really am in a hurry father. I have to get that necklace before Kiriai finds me." Satan nodded in understanding but grabbed his stubborn daughter's arm and pulled her into the kitchen. Turning on the water he spoke low and fast.

"Yes but this is more important then that. Kiriai knows about the necklace and everything else. And she knows where they are. David was her spy, until he was caught. Now he sits in his cell, until I figure out something to do with him." Satan said, "She is on her way to the temple now, though without a guide. You must be careful, she might be right on your tail on the way there or she is ahead of you. I don't know yet."

"Then I need to get moving now!" Ki hissed trying to make an escape toward the door, until her father caught her arm again.

"Give me second, I've let my pride get the better of me. Now, if Kiriai gets her hands on you, you won't see the light of day again. She will either lock you up or kill you. I antagonized her too far. Now she has a true resolve to continue on with her plans." Satan tightened his grip on Ki's arm. "You're going to have a brother soon. I will raise him patiently, not like I did you and Kiriai. I am going to declare him the heir to my throne. You have many other things to deal with. And it's obvious to me that you do not really want to rule Hell one day, so I will not force you." Satan smiled at his favorite daughter as she faced him, no longer angry but only shocked. "The Dragon demons still sleep deeply. You will need to wake them from their slumber to win this war. They will come to you if you call when the need is great."

"Great, this is just great, now I have a bunch of other crap to deal with!" Ki groaned rubbing her temples.

"It's better if I keep you informed, then in the dark." Satan said letting her arm go smiling. "I will call you when your brother is born, your mother wants you to name him." Ki nodded. She was going to have a brother. She wasn't going to ever have to worry about ruling Hell anymore. It felt like a weight had been lifted off of her shoulders.

"How are things going with your soul mate?" Ki scowled.

"I admit I have one, but I don't know who he is, nor do I think I want to know." She growled at her father as he smiled teasingly at her, "Say one more word about it and I will punch you straight through that door." Ki warned.

"But don't you want to know what it's like to be with the one that is really made for you? You see how well me your mother get along. We're soul mates." Ki bared her teeth and summoned her dragon strength into her arm as she pulled a fist back and punched her father square in the nose.

As promised Satan crashed through the door and into the next room, clutching his bloody nose. Ki stalked after him glaring, "God, I didn't think you meant it!" Satan whined almost childishly, "You damn near broke my nose." Satan made a show of adjusting his nose until it was back into its original position, not that it had move anyway.

"What the Hell!" Yusuke shouted jumping to his feet alarmed, Kurama and Kishin were already tense and ready for a fight if need be. While Shiin and Seiyoku just shook their heads.

"I don't want to know right now what that feels like father, I have a lot of other things to worry about." Ki said crossing her arms and glaring down at Satan.

"Well you'll find out anyway." Satan grinned evilly in a way that truly made him look like the King of Hell. "Our deal will come into effect soon. I just thought I should warn you. It would be funnier to watch what happens if you try to lock yourself away to avoid it." Ki clenched her jaw and threw another punch at her Father. This time he caught her fist and flipped her over his shoulder with ease.

"Oh, don't start now. You're weak because of Kiriai." Satan toward over Ki as she got to her feet.

"Go back to hell." Ki hissed, long talks with her father only managed to piss her off. Well sometimes they didn't but mostly she lost her temper. Satan raised his hands in mock surrender.

"Fine." He turned around, heading for the door when it slammed open to reveal a pissed off fire demon. Satan smiled a raised a hand in greeting, "Hullo Hiei. Not sleeping well?" He noticed the rings under the fire demon's eyes, and the anger that rolled inside of him.

"Hn. Satan." Hiei acknowledged, this was the ruler of hell. He could do much worse then Koenma could even imagine. Hiei had only a second to react when Satan charged him, pulling a dagger out from the folds of his shirt, exposing a second handle tucked in his belt. Hiei used two fingers to knock the blade away, and not having enough time to draw his katana in a short space grabbed Satan's second dagger and held it against his belly.

Satan chuckled and pulled back sheathing his blade, "Good, good. Excellent reflexes Kasui*." Satan left smiling, "Keep the dagger. You might just need it." Satan tossed Hiei the sheath and stepped through a portal before more could be said.

"What's with that Hiei? You know Satan on a personal level or something?" Yusuke asked resuming his game now that the threat was gone.

"Hn." Hiei grunted and stormed upstairs, _'Why was he here?'_ Hiei sat on the bench seat in his room and inspected the dagger in silence. The handle and guard where a deep black, red flecks covering it in random places. The blade it's self though was a pale blue, almost an off white. Double edged and about two hand lengths long on one side was a small almost exact copy of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame engraved on it. The other, strange ruins ran up and down the length.

_'Baka ruler. What could this possibly do?' _Hiei grunted and turning away, tossed it carelessly at the opposite wall. It gave off no sound at all. Nothing, not even the smallest of thuds for hitting anything. Hiei turned around to see the blade half embedded in the wall, level with his eyes.

He frowned and crossed the room, pulling the blade out of the wall, Hiei threw it hard against the wall. Again no sound, and the blade hit the wall squarely. As though Hiei had been practicing knife throwing for years, and he smirked.

"Hey, Hiei. We are ready to go in five minutes." Shiin said through the door. "I know you barged in on me and Okibi earlier." Hiei stiffened and shot a glare at the door. "Stop being a wuss about it, Ki has no idea why you're giving her the cold shoulder suddenly. Give her a break and ask her for the answers you might be looking for." Shiin left feeling a little sour.

"There's no way I'm going to lose her to you Hiei." Shiin muttered, grabbing his own sword from his room, Shiin marched down the stairs.

"Come on Shiin, everyone but you and Hiei are outside already!" Seiyoku poked her head through an open window and whined at him childishly. "Are you going to hurry or what? Ki's getting anxious."

"Ki?"

"Oh, Okibi-chan wants to be called Ki now." Seiyoku propped her head on her hand. "Her way of letting the person she used to be, die along with some aspects of her past ya know? O and Kishin is coming too!"

Shiin glared at her and slammed the front door behind him, "How come I wasn't told about her nickname?"

"I dunno, not my problem. But now you do so don't be a pussy about it. Oh, there's Hiei!" Shiin watched the fire demon jump out of his window and land next to Ki and Kishin who were talking quietly.

"Let's go then!" Shiin called, his body rippiling as he shifted. Cobalt scales like his hair glimmered, and reflected the sunlight that caught on them. He let loose a low growl and snarl that made little sense to anyone, but Ki and Seiyoku.

"Hmm, Kishin-kun can fly to ya know!" Seiyoku chimed as Kishin unfurled his wings getting the idea they were supposed to fly.

Ki shot a glare at Shiin, "I will carry Hiei." Seiyoku raised an eye brow and Shiin's guttural snarl filled the air. Ki gave him a challenging look and let her own body change. Light and cobalt blue dragon's faced each other, circling the other. Shiin was easily the bigger of the two, but seamed wary and careful.

"Wow, those two look great together. The different shades of blue really complement the other!" Boton's voice rang in the clearing. Hiei scowled.

"Yeah, you're right but." Seiyoku nearly sang, "Do you know what they say about blue dragons?" Boton shook her head confused. "They tend to be very hot tempered when it come to dealing with other dragons trying to be the leader."

_'Shiin's been assigned leader of the group, but he follows Ki's orders.'_ Hiei thought somewhat amused. _'even I know the onna doesn't like to be ordered around baka.'_ He crossed his arms and waited smirking a little.

Ki and Shiin snarled at each other a little before Ki's long neck stretched over to Hiei and her teeth caught the back of his shirt and cloak. She lifted him like a kitten and carefully put him on her shoulders. Shiin snarled and leaped forward snapping at Hiei. Ki rose into the air just as Hiei settled himself on her back.

Seiyoku also had shifted by now and picked Kurama up in the same fashion, and put him on her back. She rose into the air followed by Kishin as Shiin snarled, fuming.

"It is beneath you both to carry the youkai!" Shiin roared taking off into the air. Ki avoided him smoothly and snorted, shooting a small jet of flame at him.

"How else will they keep up!" Ki started for the portal to the demon world. "I have already lowered myself to carrying him before, it is no problem to do it again!"

Seiyoku flew level to Ki on her right, "Shiin, you always choose the worst time to think about pride you know?" Shiin growled and snapped at her tail. Seiyoku dodged the offending bite and used her tail to smack Shiin on the top of his scaly head. "Stop it."

Hiei frowned, and glanced over to Kurama who was looking calm and but puzzled. "Do you know what they are saying Hiei?" Kurama asked. The deft snarls of the dragon demons were nearly deafening between words.

"No."

Kishin flew directly overhead Kurama, "I thought they couldn't talk in dragon form."

"Maybe they just can't talk with us. They obviously can understand what we're saying." Kurama noted, Ki stared at him from the corner of her eye.

_'Onna.'_

_'Hmm?' _Ki seamed distracted, almost like she wasn't really paying attention.

_'Can you understand what we're saying out loud?' _She was watching Shiin now from the corner of her eye as he flew closer and closer.

_'Hai.' _Hiei frowned but didn't reply. Shiin took the lead and picked up the pace. Seiyoku rolled her eyes and sped up keeping pace with him easily. Ki flew higher and higher over them, until Hiei thought he might just be dizzy if he looked down.

Dimly he heard, _'Hang on!'_ before Ki folded her wings in tight to her sides and nose dived after Shiin and Seiyoku. Kishin cursed in surprise as Ki shot a hairs breath past him aiming for Shiin. The cobalt dragon didn't notice her presence until Ki was right over him, thumping him with her tail and pushing off of his back to regain altitude. Shiin snorted in surprise and glared at Ki as she fell behind him.

He sped up and kept a murderous pace for five hours straight until he finally stopped to make camp. Hiei jumped off of Ki's back and frowned, a bit sore. Ki only changed halfway back. Leaving tail wings and claws out. She was breathing harder then Shiin who looked rather pleased with himself.

"Dick." She muttered, as Shiin's grin widened. Ki scowled and watching Seiyoku fly in after her, Kishin in front. "You're really slow."

Seiyoku huffed and changed halfway like Ki had, "Well if that inconsiderate dick!" Seiyoku rubbed her shoulders, just above her wings. "Could keep a reasonable pace for a reasonable amount of time I could have kept up easier!" Ki shook her head at Seiyoku. The green dragon huffed and sank down on the ground.

"Come on, lets make camp." Shiin said picking up wood and starting to toss it into a messy pile. Kurama produced seeds and edible plants, Ki and Seiyoku glanced at each other and made themselves comfortable, leaning against a tree.

"Why did you rip off the band Ki-chan?" Seiyoku asked quietly watching Kishin from the corner of her eye.

"I-"

Kasui* - spike

**Hmm, reveiws reveiws. Always what authors bug you for, and with god reason. They want feed back on thier work. I would luv feed back you no. It would be really nice and perhaps inspirational?**


	17. Chapter 17: Riddle Me This

Chapter 17: Riddle Me This

_"I'll tell you later," _

Seiyoku frowned as Shiin led them out of the thick forest. The ancient temple still stood tall and proud, black with age. The decayed bodies of countless guards scattered around the gates. A sign that there hadn't been a living thing nearby in decades if not centuries. Shiin pushed open the rusted gates with some difficulty and led the group through confidently. Kurama grabbed his shoulder, stopping him from advancing and pointed to the trail of blood leading into the doors of the temple, doors already broken in and signs of recent gore painted crimson on them.

Shiin's confidence was replaced with rage and confusion "How?" His face looked lost and angry. "No one should know how to get to this place!"

Ki pushed past him and knelt by a more recent body before moving onto the doors. "Kiriai would." she said softly examining the doors, purposely avoiding meeting anyone's gaze. "Father told me David was a spy for Kiriai. And he told her what was discussed between him Hiei and myself. And that Kiriai might have been on her way here."

"And you didn't tell us?" Hiei growled from behind her. Ki shrugged trying to blow off the comment. Kurama looked alarmed and scanned the surrounding area carefuly.

"I didn't want you to feel rushed, everyone being tired if we ran into Kiriai wouldn't help at all." Ki explained easily.

Shiin groaned, "Okay then, we'll have to do this a different way." He squatted on the ground and started drawing in the dirt. Everyone crowded around him, watching as an intricate map was slowly formed in the soil. "We'll split into groups of three and take the three different routs through the temple's maze to get to the bracelet. Each set oath will lead into the other but will only joined purposely at the end. Where the bracelet is. Unfortunatly for Kishin, Kurama and Hiei the temple was built right long before Ki's initial death, meaning everything inside the temple is written in Draconian-"

"Oooo! Kishin's my partner!" Seiyoku screamed loudly looping her arm with Kishin, who was smirking a little. "And Hiei goes with Ki-chan and Kurama goes with Shiin!" Shiin glared at her, but gave in, the feeling of dread coiling in his belly was growing stronger.

"Fine, but each group will have to solve a riddle at the end. If you get it wrong, just don't get it wrong okay? I'll take the first path, Seiyoku the second and Ki you take the third." Shin ordered, satisfied everyone had memorized the map he destroyed it thoroughly. "Let's go then."

Ki nodded and followed Shiin and Kurama into the temple. It didn't take long for Sieyoku and Kishin to find the beginning of their path. Shiin called after Seiyoku and Kishin who were quickly vanishing down a flight of stairs, "Oh yeah, two out of three of the riddles, if you answer them right you will have to kiss you're companion!"

Ki glared at Shiin from behind him and Kurama suddenly paled looking uncomfortable. While the sound of Seiyoku's giggling helplessly at something Kishin said was a clear indicator of her having ignored Shiin's warning. Ki spotted her own path, a narrow strip of land, that shouldn't have even been considered a bridge over a gorge. Shiin waved them good bye and Ki and Hiei just stood there looking at the 'bridge'.

"You want to go first?" Ki asked motioning toward the strip. Hiei grunted and started forward. He moved slower then he would normally have. The bridge was barely as wide as his foot as be tentatively put one in front of the other. Ki followed behind him at a slower pace holding her arms out for added balance.

"Onna, if you put your arms out, then you're more likely to fall." Hiei stated, Ki looked down and grimaced.

"Thanks." She promptly lowered her arms and switched to watching her feet. Hiei waited somewhat impatiently at the end as Ki finished crossing the gorge. They made a left into a tunnel and Ki raised an eyebrow at the staircase. Spiraling upwards elegantly, it seamed to give off it's own light. The pair started up the stairs in a awkward silence.

"Why did you rip off the band onna?"

Ki glanced at him from the corner of her eye for a second. "Testing a theory." Hiei growled at her, as she continued. "Why would Kiriai have put three bands on me? Unless she needed three to suppress my energy. Thus divvying up how much energy is suppressed by each band. So taking one off would mean that only a third of my energy would be pulled from me. Not a fatal amount."

"And if you had been wrong?"

"Then I would have died."

Hiei glared at Ki, rage boiled within him at the thought of Ki just giving her life away for no reason. "You can't afford to do that. Kiriai is planning on using your energy to win this war, and nobody but you knows how powerful that is. Your life isn't something you can play with anymore onna."

"I don't play with my life." Ki shot back meeting his glare.

"Not telling anyone about what your father said, and performing that stupid experiment without anyone else around, and in the middle of a damn stream counts as playing with your life." Hiei growled, catching Ki's arm.

"It's not playing with my life, it's protecting others!" Ki said, the retort sounded weak even to her.

_'Why does he care so damn much!'_

Hiei opened his mouth to give her a angry come back, but he snapped it closed again as the sound of millions upon millions of fluttering wings reached them. Looking down Hiei's crimson eyes widened seeing billions of scavenger demons, they were eating away at their way down and were catching up fast. Ki looked down too and cursed.

"Run!" Hiei and Ki took off up the stairs even faster now, as scavenger demons started worming their way into the cavern through the walls and started gnawing on the stairs above them.

_'We aren't going to make it at this rate!'_ Ki thought frantically watching more and more demons fill the space. The stair case must be their food source, or else they would have targeted Hiei and herself first. _'They are going to eat away our way out before we can get out.' _Ki's thoughts switched gears as she tried to find a way out of their present situation. The area was to small for her to change into a dragon and fly them out, _'That's it, I just hope it works.'_

"Hold on!" Ki growled grabbing onto Hiei's arm as she felt the energy to change forms start to fill her mind. "Hiei merge into my mind!"

"Nani!"

"Just do it!" Keeping the energy on hold was getting harder and harder to do. Hiei hesitated for a second, merging minds would mean he would have to open himself up completely to her, and in return she would open up to him.

Ki felt his mind open and mix with her own quickly. Ki let the loose leash she had thrown over the urge to change run wild and the sweet rippling sensation of the change overwhelmed her for a fraction of a second. Her body changed, taking on the form of a much smaller dragon then normal.

Hiei's eyes widened as he felt the change ripping through his own body, instinctively he tried to close his mind off. But Ki had latched onto the opening and forced it open wider letting more of the energy through the newly formed bridge. Hiei's body collapsed in on it's self, then in the same second his bones and organs fell apart. Ki forced even more energy through fearing it wasn't enough. A strangled groan ripped from Hiei's throat as the bones reformed, lighter and harder then before. His shoulder's and hips rearranged themselves, sending his arm and legs into confusion as the bones there also changed. Hiei's spine thickened and lengthened, bursting from his back almost violently. Black scales ripped from under his skin, as muscles and tendons formed more securely over the new bones and organs. His teeth aced, his jaw lengthening and taking on a completely different shape. Spikes ripped from his back as leathery wings ripped out from just under his shoulder blades.

Hiei had become a black dragon, a little larger then Ki, but they were both much smaller then a normal dragon.

"Roll your shoulders and use your wings baka!" Ki growled at him, she had let him go during the change and was hovering over him nervously. Hiei snapped at her but followed her instructions. After a little bit of much needed time Hiei followed Ki straight up.

The outpouring of energy had attracted the scavengers. Ki snarled in pure rage and shot a jet of flame at the demons that were trying to jump on Hiei's back. Ki played many midair tricks on the clumsy demons, keeping them away from Hiei with ease. As he flew through the opening Ki snorted another jet of flame and followed him. The scavengers, seeing their desert lost and dangerous, went back to eating the staircase.

"Onna! What have you done to me!" Hiei demanded, landing smoothly on the ground and faced her attempting to fake rage over confusion.

Ki landed next to him, "I shared my ability to change with you," Ki cocked her head to the side and watched Hiei closely. "You understand Draconian, maybe because you're in dragon form."

"Onna, are you saying you've never done this before!" now real rage was spilling into his voice. Ki jumped back as Hiei tried to grab hold of her.

"Pull your wings in to your sides Hiei, if you cut them it will hurt a hell of a lot worse then the deepest sword cut you've ever taken." Ki snapped back ignoring his question.

"NANI!"

Ki and Hiei both cringed at the sound of the obnoxiously loud voice Ki knew only too well. Seiyoku and Kishin had taken a wrong turn and ended up in the chamber they had ended up in, "Ki-chan?"

"Seiyoku." Ki stared at her, "What are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing. Though we were the ones who took a wrong turn." Seiyoku trailed off then saw Hiei. "Is that Hiei?" Ki grumbled a 'yes' and Seiyoku started off on another rant. "Holy Cow! I didn't know it was possible to share the change with another demon! I mean it was just a theory!"

"Another 'theory' onna!" Hiei raged, Ki flinched. She could feel the rage all too easily with their minds merged together. She could feel everything, and knew that Hiei could very much see the same in her. The longer they stayed that way, the stronger the bond was becoming. The clearer the memories and feelings, that had once been a mixed pile of confusion, of the other embedded themselves into the opposite mind.

"Seiyoku," Kishin put a hand on her shoulder suddenly uncomfortable. "Can they change back?" Seiyoku shrugged watched Ki and Hiei closely.

Ki frowned and bared her teeth at Hiei who was glaring murderously at her. Together they pulled their minds apart, Ki taking her energy back from Hiei. The fire youkai grunted in painful surprise as he found himself back in his normal body, and Ki taking her time changing back.

"Ow." Ki winced trying to straighten up under the lower section of the ceiling. Successfully smashing her head into the roof.

"Well seeing you two back to normal is much better, meanwhile Kishin and I have to find our way back onto our own path before Shiin finds out and decides to kill me over it." Seiyoku grimaced and waved goodbye to Ki and Hiei, "I told you we should have gone left and _then_ right when we reached the fork!"

"Onna," Hiei was hesitant. Being inside her head long enough to know what had happened between her and Shiin, and the conclusions he jumped to made him feel a bit guilty about how cold he treated her before.

"Hm?" Ki stopped at the entrance to the next tunnel they were supposed to go down.

"About how cold I was earlier," Hiei fumbled over his words, "I mean, the way I treated you-" Ki stared at him confused, and crossed her arms, ready to wait for him to finish what he wanted to say. Hiei seamed to struggle with the words he was trying to say, looking extremely uncomfortable with himself.

"Hie-"

"Gomen!"

Ki's eyebrows flew up in shock as Hiei suddenly blurted out the word, face flushed a little. "Nani?"

"I- I should have tried to leave your memory instead of staying, and I saw you and Shiin together earlier." Hiei's words tumbled over one another in his rush to get them out, "I assumed the wrong thing and I gave you the cold shoulder before asking you what was really going on."

Was _the Hiei Jaganshi _**apologizing**? Ki's mouth suddenly went dry and she simply stared at Hiei in shock. It explained his behavior towards her alright.

"I-it's fine. Don't worry about it." Ki said, trying to accept the apology without making anything more awkward between them. "Just come on, let's go." Hiei nodded and both of them started down the narrow winding tunnel that would lead to the riddle.

After an hour or so of walking in silence the pair reach a large marble door with ruins as old as the temple itself etched into them. Hiei examined the door first recognizing the ruins, to be a match to the ones on the dagger Satan had given him. "Onna, can you read this?"

Ki brushed the dirt from her pants quickly and came up beside Hiei to read the ruins. "Yeah, hold on a second." Ki mouthed the words slowly, translating the ruins in her head.

"I am the black child of a white father,

a wingless bird, flying even to the clouds of heaven.

I give birth to tears of mourning in pupils that meet me,

even though there is no cause for grief,

and at once on my birth I am dissolved into air.

Who am I?"

Ki frowned after reading the riddle. "I never did have a thing for solving riddles you know?"

"They match the ruins on the dagger your father gave me." Hiei stated unsheathing the dagger and handing it to Ki. Her eyes narrowed as she took the dagger and started to translate the ruins in her head and out loud. Hiei frowned, understanding glimpses of the words she was using.

Ki ran a hand through her hair tiredly and held the dagger arms length away from her. "Heklasha reindu nofta ruin de te enda gendanta o'ch lendebath." Ki paused for a second, "Redevu orchevant do hindu." Ki grimaced a little. "That was a mouthful.

"What's it mean?"

Ki sighed, "Roughly translated it means 'Dragon master of dark flame, lover of mistress snake. Perfect aim behold you, slayer of the serpents venom.' There isn't a clearer translation for this next part though, 'This blade can kill any whom you wish, but only once can it kill the venomous serpent.' Or is it serpents venom?" Ki s trailed off handing the blade back to Hiei, "Sound like an old prophecy to me really. It might have already been fulfilled, so father gave it to you. But he's known for making those things up to get what he wants."

*~*~*~*~*

" I make you weak at the worst of all times.  
I keep you safe, I keep you fine.  
I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold,  
I visit the weak, but seldom the bold."

"Is that the riddle or some random saying?" Kishin asked coming into the room to listen as Seiyoku repeated the riddle under her breath.

"The riddle, wahhh!" Seiyoku whined bashing her head against the wall. "Ki-chan was the one who liked to collect riddles. She wasn't any good at them, but loved to watched people squirm as they tried to figure it out. I don't think she ever knew this one!"

"Oh, child are you going to give up?" Seiyoku looked up to see a carving of a Sphinx come to life before her very eyes, "Dragon demon and a Fallen Angel half-breed. I will have to eat you both if you cannot solve the riddle." Kishin glared at the Sphinx, with the body of a loin and the head of a woman it was impossible to think it was anything else.

"You'll have to go hungry then!" Kishin snapped stepping in front of Seiyoku protectively.

"Wait a second, 'I keep you safe, I keep you fine. I make your hands sweat, and your heart grow cold.' I've felt like that before. When Ki-chan's body was thrown out of the window." Seiyoku shook a little, the vivid images filling her head. "I was scared, and because of it, I ran for her stupidly. But if I didn't then, Enma's would have been able reach me from where I was standing before."

"Fear." Kishin whispered, "Fear is the answer, fear can cause you to turn and run, keeping you safe in some situations. The weak scum bug to fear so they feel it the most. And the bold don't. The answer is Fear." Kishin announced facing the Sphinx confidently.

It looked crestfallen and pawed the ground. "You're slower then the other two. I didn't even get a chance to talk to them. But the Centaur perhaps will have more luck." Kishin waited for the doors to open, but they didn't.

"Open the doors."

"You haven't finished the task yet," It started to look a little happier, "maybe I will get to eat you."

"Hmm, I don't think so!" Seiyoku sang, turning Kishin to face her, she looped her arms around his neck and kissed him full on the mouth. The Sphinx scowled and let the doors open.

Seiyoku let Kishin go grinning widely. "Wow." Kishin breathed, "You've been holding out on me."

*~*~*~*~*

"Mountains will crumble and temples will fall, and no man can survive its endless call. What is it?" Shiin read aloud to Kurama.

The fox demon smiled mischievously, "That's an easy one. It is Time."

Shiin blinked in surprise as the doors opened easily, reviling a second chamber, "At least that wasn't a kissing riddle." He murmured walking into the chamber and froze. "What the hell!"

Seiyoku and Kishin broke apart, Seioyku scowling and Kishin looking rather guilty. Behind them a Sphinx melted back into the wall. "What are you guys doing!"

"Well standing here." Seiyoku shot back rather irritated. "Now if you don't mind, what are you doing here? You can't jest walk through a wall."

Kurama looked back behind him find a wall, "The doors are illusions. If we go through this one, we will either end up with Hiei and Ki or be following them to the bracelet." Shiin and Seiyoku continued to have a glaring contest, ignoring the red kitsune.

"Here, you get Shiin," Kishin muttered scooping up Seiyoku in his arms and carrying her through the open door. Kurama shook his head and followed suit, pushing the cobalt dragon through the door instead of carrying him.

Hiei stood to the side glaring at a Centaur that had told them if they didn't solve the riddle he would have to kill them. The Centaur spotted them and reared back on its hind legs. Chocolate brown horses body, was a stark contrast to the golden tan of the red headed centaur.

"My name is Vesper. You are friends of these two are you not?" Vesper's deep voice held a strange accent Kurama no one could place. When they group nodded he continued, "You may not help hem in their riddle. It is their task alone. If you should intervene. I will have to kill them both and you four."

"Your name is Latin for star right?" Kurama asked hopefully. Vesper nodded pleasantly surprised and the two started a rapid conversation no one else could follow.

"I am the black child of a white father, a wingless bird, flying even to the clouds of heaven. I give birth to tears of mourning in pupils that meet me, even though there is no cause for grief, and at once on my birth I am dissolved into air. Who am I?" Ki repeated the riddle under her breath over and over trying to find the answer that would not come to her.

_'Stop pacing onna. It's not going to help anything.' _Hiei chided her leaning against the wall examining the room for some sort of clue.

_'The others are here, probably because they have already solved their riddles. But because they are here and not with the bracelet means that this is the door that leads inside.'_ Ki replied focusing on the riddle in front of her irritated.

Hiei scoffed and continued to examine the room. Ki crossed her arms and stood still glaring at the text, "Collecting riddles is what I do. Though solving them I do not. I can spout riddles as easy as one two three. But the answers don't come to me. Who am I?"

"That was random!" Seiyoku shouted tackling Ki in a hug. "And really good for an on the spot riddle." Ki rolled her eyes and didn't bother to even attempt to unhook her friend from around her.

"Speaking in riddles while solving a riddle helps me think," Ki snorted letting loose a jet of black smoke. Seiyoku wrinkled her nose and rubbed at her now tearing eyes unhappily.

Hiei watched in slight amusement as the smoke vanished into the air still going up. _'Smoke'_ "Onna, get the other baka onna off of you, I figured out the riddle."

Ki blinked and stared at him, "What is it?" She asked started to untangle herself from Seiyoku's death grip.

"Smoke."

Vesper smiled, "Correct fire youkai. But now you have to complete the second part of the challenge."

Ki frowned and glared at the centaur, "What second part?" Shiin fell over mumbling curses to himself.

"Onna." Ki turned to face Hiei, only to find him suddenly inches form her face. Ki's eyes widened and she could feel her heart thud faster in her ever constricting chest.

"Hiei, nani-" Her blue eyes nearly popped out of their sockets when Hiei kissed her. Inside Ki felt something like a 'click', like some part of her that hadn't been there, and yet had, had fallen into place.

_'Why is he kissing me? Why do I have to use all of my self control to keep from reacting? This is almost like- how is he doing this!' _Ki's thoughts whirled and consumed all awareness of other people in the room.

After a minute Hiei pulled himself from the kiss breathing harder then what was necessary. Through the kiss the onna made him want to claim her as his. Through a simple _kiss._ Hiei slowed his breathing knowing now, he would never be able to wipe Ki from his mind should he ever want to.

That was wrong.

Hiei forced himself to think with a level head, he kissed her, and it felt right. Something about her made it feel right. And knowing that only unnerved Hiei. He had kissed countless other females before, but nothing like this had ever happened. He has never reacted like this.

"You may pass." Vesper said, kicking the pair out of their trances. "Though I doubt you will like what you will se ahead."

Shiin groaned, "Finally!" He and Hiei pushed open the large marble doors. The centaur melted back into the walls as Shiin let out a roar, filled with rage and blood lust.

Ki and Sieyoku pushed the frozen men out of the way to see what had happened, and their faces fell. The room, would have been absolutely stunning, cut out of the age of time. Delicate carvings and elegant pictures covered the walls in a story. Starting from the beginning of time. The room was obviously a treasure to the once proud Dragon demons. Small hollows in the walls proved that at one time they had held small treasures, perhaps priceless in the eyes of some.

But the room now was covered in evidence of recent blood shed. Many walls were ruined, both by blood and scars left behind from demons crashing into them. Weapons lay scattered, and protruding from the corpses. Mostly demons garbed in old armor, still held a older animalistic air around them even in death, were scattered about the room. Covered from head to foot in wounds and blood. There was no doubt that they had fought with their entire being and with a passion. Many were grouped around a small altar, or what was left of it. It had been smashed in half during the fighting and most of the bloodshed had occurred around it.

"This temple is sacred!" Shiin seethed furry blinding him. "Who the hell had the guts to rob and destroy this sanctuary!"

"Calm yourself Shiin!" Kurama warned, worried the dragon would lose control and destroy everything within reach.

Ki flet numb, but only for a second before her own blinding rage threatened to capture her in a iron grip, "Damn!" Her eyes scanned the corpses looking for one that stood out. Spotting the green horned demon she lunged and pulled its carcass out form under the fallen.

Wordless she grabbed the strip of lightweight armor the demon had worn and ripped it from his body. On his exposed chest lay six swords, hilts together and blades pointed out like a star. Ki snarled and threw the demon carcass away from her.

Kiriai.

The botch had gotten here long before Ki ever did. The woman had moved fast and with obvious ease. Ki felt her blood lust peak, it filled the room. Almost choking the inhabitants, the bloodlust became literally visible, purple smoke slowly filled the room as Ki clenched and unclenched her fists. Working herself up into a deadly rage.

"I. Am. Going. To. Slaughter. Kiriai!" Ki seethed fleeing to the other end of the room, behind the alter and into a hidden tunnel.

"Hiei!" Kurama shouted watching as Seiyoku took off after her friend, "Stop her! We can't let her face Kiriai yet!" The fire youkai scowled at the demand but took off into the tunnel, leaving Kurama and Kishin to hold Shiin down. The dragon could see nothing but red and couldn't focus enough to change. Much to the other boys relief.

Hiei followed the steep upward slope of the tunnel and found Ki in a screaming rage. Demons both not loyal to either side in this war and to Mukuro had swarmed around her. Instantly viewing her as a dangerous threat that needed to be eliminated. Dimly Hiei realized they must be close to the fighting, meaning Kiriai could have soldier nearby waiting to attack.

_'Onna! Control yourself!'_ Hiei ordered drawing his katana and jumping into the massacre himself. All he got in reply was unbending rage and bloodlust.

This was not good.

*~*~*~*~*

Kiriai smirked triumphantly wearing her new spoils. She strode into her kingdom to find all of her soldiers lined up and ready to fight. The captain nodded to her and she stood in front of them as silence fell over them.

"Men! You have all been handpicked for this mission. Okibi Dokuja was apprehended by Koenma through drugs and new technology that she has no knowledge of yet." She paused as looks of anger spread across some of the faces in the group. "We have located her now and found that she is now fighting very close to the battle lines were Mukuro still holds off. We march now to tilt the fight into our favor and to bring her back. I will personally go with you on this journey." Cheers erupted from the crowd below. "Let us go!"

The captain fell in step behind Kiriai as she led the way through a portal. "Nicely done my lady. The soldiers are well inspired to slaughter all in their paths."

"That is to be expected, they are demons." Kiriai said saddling a horse with ease, she could smell the fresh blood being spilt. And she could feel the rage pouring off of her aneki, and Kiriai loved it.

_'See me now father.'_ She thought smugly as she led her troops down into the battle grinning maliciously.

She stopped as her soldiers continued their charge to watch the battle take place. The small group, easily recognized as Spirit Detectives and Ki looked over to the charge that was headed their way. Sky blue eyes met sickly yellow, as Ki screamed in her blind furry and rushed her attack.

Alone.

Kiriai raised an eyebrow mouth going dry with the site of mindless rage, the woman was committing suicide! Ki's swords glittered and cut through demon after demon, not bothering to even kill them, only to get them out of her way.

Hiei growled in irritation and Kurama groaned, how were they going to tell Koenma that they let Ki kill herself in anger? Kishin kicked a demon away from him shouting at the other two. "Seiyoku and Shiin have gone back into the temple to cut off the scavenger demons! The demons were getting out of hand so they are going to fight them off before they get out here!"

Kurama turned his head to watch as Ki killed and killed. Kiriai simply stayed perched on her own horse for a few agonizingly long seconds before jumping down and running to meet Ki in a charge.

"Pay attention to your own fight fox!" Hiei snapped cutting down a demon that almost landed a killing blow to the distracted youkai.

Ki snarled in eager anticipation raising her own blades to meet Kiriai's charge. The demonesses met each other in a loud crash of metal and snarls of rage. Kiriai twisted her sword expertly and dislodged Ki's, dropping low to kick her in the stomach.

Ki grunted and crossed her blades in time to block the hard kick. "You entered the temple didn't you!" She demanded moving to defense under the sudden force of Kiriai's blades.

Kiriai sneered nastily, their blades locked together once again. "Oh yes, of course I did. I picked up a lot of new trinkets you know. Such a wonderful temple." She growled as Ki's fist slammed into the side of her face.

"That's a sacred temple bitch! You aren't of Draconian blood, you had no right to enter!" Ki twirled, light on her feet and knocked away Kiriais attack, slamming the flat of her blade into her enemy's ribs. "Let me tell you something imoto*, "Ki snarled sarcastically, "You are the most pathetic demon I have ever seen in all my life! You aren't daddy's favorite little girl, big whoop!"

"You don't know anything!" Kiriai snarled in defense, giving ground slowly.

"Yes I do!" Ki shot back losing her balance when Kiriai's blade cut deep into her thigh. "You're a jealous snob who can't stand being second!" A small cry of pain escaped her when Kiriai simultaneously smashed the side of her head with the flat of her blade and kicked the open wound on her thigh.

Ki rolled backwards down the hill a few meters before she was able to get to her feet. Ki brought her blades up to block Kiriai's strike effectively as the red headed demon jumped her.

"You don't understand it! Being raised in your shadow, it's more then just being second!" Kiriai gasped painfully for breath as Ki's claws suddenly ripped into her stomach. "You're the perfect fighter, the perfect strategist, the perfect daughter, you're the perfect EVERYTHING!" Ki stumbled back under the sudden rage unleashed upon her.

"Living in your shadow means you are nothing! Brought up to be the best after being modeled after the best! After your own damn sister! Who isn't even there to try and help!" Kiriai's rage and hurt was spinning out of control. "But I can't be the best in Daddy's eyes until I destroy you!"

Sick, twisted, little bitch! Ki grit her teeth painfully as her leg and head throbbed from the punishment they had taken. _'I didn't even know about her! I was never told or even looked for to be told! How the hell can she blame all on me!'_

Kiriai's wrist began to glow threateningly, and on instinct Ki jumped away from the crazed emotional youkai. Ki's insides coiled with cold dread seeing a simple silver bracelet, a light blue stone in the middle on Kiriai's wrist. It thrummed with a wild intensity that could scarcely hold in the power begging to be set free.

Her power.

"You're stronger now because you ripped off one of the bands," Kiriai smiled smugly at Ki's look of surprise. "Oh didn't you know? I could feel it when you took it off. I could feel a little bit of your pain. You hurt in the process of getting that thing off. And it must have come with some sort of a price to pay, is your wrist fully healed yet?"

Ki ignored the pitiful jab at her pride and adjusted her grip on the swords nervously. "You can't control my power, don't even try it!"

Kiriai's smile widened, "Oh I very much think I can control it! In fact I'll just summon up a dragon to destroy you with!" With over exaggerated flourish Kiriai summoned a dragon born of the earth. It was only half the size it should have been, but still as terrifying.

"Damn it all!" Ki hissed unfurling her wings and took to the sky, escaping the dragon's teeth. "You think that I'm going to be intimidated by my own powers!" Ki dove for Kiriai easily avoiding the earthen dragon.

"What the hell does the onna think she's doing!" Hiei seethed cutting down the last demon who stood in his path.

Kurama panted heavily next to him, "We had better stop her, Kiriai's using her own powers against her."

Any pity Ki had developed for Kiriai vanished as Kiriai barely escaped the bite of Ki's swords using the dragon she had summoned. It only stoked the fires of her furry as she stood down 'her' dragon.

"Kill her!" Kiriai commanded face twisted in the thought that victory was close at hand. The dragon lunged forward teeth snapping.

"Stop."

Kiriai screamed in confused rage as the earth dragon did as Ki ordered it to. It stopped its lung and in turn circled around Ki rather protectively. Nuzzling it's head into the had she offered it. Ki smiled cruelly at Kiriai's obvious defeat. Ki started to mock her, "_Oh, didn't you know?_ I'm the Queen of the Dragons. You're just using my power. Not your own, so they aren't going to obey you." Kiriai clenched her teeth and fumed, "They know **I**am in charge, pup."

With a grunt of annoyance Kiriai disbanded the dragon by cutting off the power supply from the bracelet. "I can still win this." Reversing the flow of power, Ki turned the energy onto herself and grinned sadistically. Ki froze as Kiriai started to heal her own wounds, even the blood was disappearing as the girl finished, she looked as though she hadn't even started her fight yet.

Ki growled dangerously, Kiriai was abusing her power. And it was driving her up the wall. Ki had to close one eye to keep the blood out of it. The head wound was still bleeding and Ki forced her self to remember that head wounds bled more then others.

"Onna!" Ki turned her head in surprise to see Hiei make his way for her, cutting down more demons that were coming from the trees, "Baka onna, get away from her! She'll kill you!" Ki scowled taking it as an insult.

Kiriai smirked, mind working faster now that she had calmed down. While Ki was scowling at the fire demon a plot formed in Kiriai's mind and she took off running, knowing it would get her sister's attention.

Ki snarled like an animal and took off after the red head. Hiei growled in irritation, taking off after Ki's bloody form ignoring Kurama's shout and Kishin's warnings. The onna was bleeding, limping, and taking on more then she could handle. Especially because she couldn't see straight, to angered to even try to think out a way to win against Kiriai.

Wait was he caring?

Should he care?

What the hell is going on with him!

_'Damn onna, she's letting her emotions get the better of her again!'_ Hiei thought furiously trying to catch up to Ki who commandeered a horse and was swinging her self up into the saddle.

"Onna, you are in no condition to fight!" Hiei growled grabbing the reins to keep the horse from taking off.

Ki glared at him, "Let go Hiei, I have to finish this while I have the chance!" From the corner of her eye Kiriai had reached her own mount and was getting into the saddle.

"Damn it! Onna if you continue you will either die or fall into one of her traps!" Hiei growled dangerously meeting Ki's glare with ease. "Get off the horse." Didn't he understand? Kiriai was her responsibility, and she had to take care of her. What was wrong with him! Ki bared her teeth in anger and slapped his hand away spurring the horse into a gallop, seeing Kiriai take off.

Ki grimaced as Hiei's infuriated curses followed her, but focused on the trail ahead. Guiding the horse with her knees Ki ripped off a strip of her shirt and used it to bind the cut on her thigh, trying to stem the flow of blood. Blood pounded in her ears as the sound of the battle she had left quieted, the only thing she could hear next to the pounding was the horse's galloping. They burst through a clearing and Ki caught sight of Kiriai waiting for her with a smirk on her face.

Ki pulled hard on the reins, bringing the horse onto its hind legs front legs swinging dangerously at Kiriai. Slipping out of the saddle, Ki rolled away form the dangerous hooves and faced her enemy.

"Sit!"

Ki felt her body respond to the command, Ki snarled and cried out in rage as her body refused to obey her commands to stand and fight. Ki's legs gave out from under her giving into the command issued, and she landed in a sitting position in front of Kiriai.

"Witch!" Ki bared her teeth, how dare Kiriai mock her?

Kiriai smiled sweetly, "Oh I've been wondering if it would still work. Even with one of the bands missing. Obviously it does." Ki hissed in anger, "Urusai!" Ki's mouth clamped shut, almost biting her own tongue off. "This is going to be the most interesting interrogation I've ever had."

Ki voiced her disappointment with a dangerous growl from the back of her throat. All the growling was going to make her throat sore tomorrow.

"Sleep."

Ki panicked, desperately trying to fight off the darkness that loomed over her vision. She tried to focus on Kiriai, summon her anger to keep herself awake. Ki cursed Kiriai mentally as her mind began to shut down on her.

_'Hiei!'_

*~*~*~*~*

"I refuse to go back to hell until Ki is back here!" Shiin snarled at Koenma slamming his fists down on the oak desk. "Why haven't you done anything to get her back, Kiriai could have killed her by now!"

Koenma bit back the retort he desperately wanted to shout back, _We would be better off without her!_ But inside he knew it wasn't true. It had been a week since Ki's disappearance and Hiei has shut himself off from everyone in the group more then normal. He had heard her call, and tried to answer only to find she was unconscious. Even his spirit detectives had voiced their concerns and the idea to find her and bring her back.

But the most annoying was the fire breathing cobalt lizard from hell that was bitching about it even now.

"We don't know where she is Shiin," Koenma grunted trying to keep his temper in check. The dragon and Hiei had gotten into another violent fight and tension was running high enough as it was.

Shiin growled and stormed out of the rulers office itching for a fight. Catching sight of the fire demon Shiin started to head over to him, planning on goading him into another fight. Seiyoku intercepted him, and dragged him off to the side.

"What do you think you're doing!" Seiyoku hissed dangerously dragging him into the kitchen.

"Picking a fight and relieving stress." Shiin shot back, inwardly he was wary of Seiyoku around this time of year, her heat cycle was due to kick in and she could be a real bitch about it.

The female backed Shiin against the wall jabbing a finger into his chest, "You know Ki's not your soul mate and right now Hiei is the top candidate and you know THIS!" She poked his rather hard, "So why in the seven hells are you trying to get on his bad side! If Ki ever stops being a blind idiot who doesn't think she deserves someone and finds out how your treating her soul mate she'll flip on your scaly ass."

"What do you know about soul mates! You only know the stories because you're an obsessed romantic." Shiin shot back glaring at said female.

Seiyoku slapped him baring her teeth, "Urusai! I've found my soul mate damn it! And I think you've found yours but you are just to damn blind to see her! You're caught up in the past." Shiin stared at her in shock holding his cheek.

"Who is your soul mate then!"

"Kishin."

"Fierce God, he'd have to be a god to take you for a soul mate," Shiin sneered, "You're being so bitchy it's a wonder he stays in the same room with you-" Shiin grunted as Kishin appeared next to Seiyoku out of nowhere and punched him in the stomach, **hard.**

"Don't ever call her a bitch again," Kishin hissed dangerously eyeing the bright red hand print on Shiin's left cheek.

Shiin grunted again and pushed his way past the pair and into the living room to find the rest of the spirit detectives and their girls. They greeted him without really looking to see who had come into the room.

"What happened!" Boton asked spotting the hand print. That made them turn around to look at him.

Yusuke and Kuwabara burst out laughing, holding their sides and rolling around on the floor. "Look's like Seiyoku finally got fed up with his attitude!" Yusuke was close to tears, Hiei smirked but continued glaring out of the window. Kurama shook his head at the immaturity in the room.

"Urusai!" Shiin hissed dangerously at the two ningens rolling on the floor. They stopped and looked at him, before starting all over again. Shiin was about to start to walk over and teach them what happened when they laughed at him when Seiyoku caught his ear in one hand and pulled hard. "Ow!"

"Bad Shiin!" Sieoyku growled, "No harming the helpless humans. It's bad for your reputation to lower yourself to their level."

Both Kurama and Hiei smirked catching the double insult, where as Kishin grinned crossing his arms. Yukina smiled a little, the room wasn't as gloomy seconds before now with Shiin and Seiyoku's antics brightening up the place.

"Let go of my ear!" Shiin growled trying to make a grab for the woman who had a firm grip on his sensitive ears.

"Aw, is the big bad dragon demon in pain?" Seiyoku asked knowing full well a dragon demon's ears were extremely sensitive to touch and sound. "Do you want me to shout in it or what?" She gave it another hard tug, making Shiin whimper.

Damn, he had blown it. He had meant not to piss her off before her cycle began, but being the hot headed moron he was he blew it before he even started. Now he was going to pay for it for a very long time.

"No, don't shout." Shiin whimpered, so what if he was lowering himself. His ears hurt like hell damn it! Seiyoku released him smiling happily. "Damn it woman, you know how sensitive my ears are!"

She rolled her eyes, "Every dragon has sensitive ears dimwit. Yours are just bigger and easier to grab onto." Shiin scowled at the big ear remark but simply put space between them. "Anyway I have an announcement!"

"What's up?" Kieko asked slapping Yusuke over the head for making rude comments about Shiin being whipped.

Kishin wrapped his arms around Seiyoku's waist and rested his chin on her shoulder, "Kishin's my soul mate!" Sieyoku chirped happily, beaming at Kishin.

"I'm very happy for you, but what do you mean exactly?" Kieko asked smiling at the pair.

"It's when you've found the one person who can truly make you happy the one you really love! They complete you, like yin and yang, two halves of a whole. Two separate things, but one thing at the same time." Seiyoku explained easily. When the girls nodded in understanding Sieyoku's grin widened, "You guys are so much easier to explain that to then Ki."

"Yeah, well she already told us." Yusuke said turning his back on Kishin and Seiyoku, "So most of us already knew what you ment." Kieko smacked the back of Yusuke's head for being rude.

Kurama smiled warmly, "We are very happy for you two." Kurama had noticed the small changes in Kishin since Seiyoku arrived. Even though he hadn't been apart of the group that long it was obvious he was a cold and shut off person. Mush like Hiei but less so, not as harsh and more understanding to the world around him. Kishin had softened, the normal hard face or scowl had vanished and more of who he was had come through. He seamed truly happier.

Hiei narrowed his eyes and scoffed silently, love was for the weak. It was a false emotion that only made you weaker a lie. And the fools had fallen for it.

_'Don't encourage them fox.' _Hiei hissed into the red head's head_. 'Love isn't a real emotion.'_

Kurama raised an eye brow at his best friend._ 'Yes it is Hiei. Besides Yusuke and Kuwabara are starting to think you have a crush on Ki or maybe even love her from the way you've been moping about since her disappearance.' _The fire demon stiffened,_ 'By the way staring out the window moodily won't make her come back any faster.'_

_'Baka fox, I haven't been moping!' _Hiei growled.

_'If you say so.'_ Kurama said as Hiei cut off the link curing the fox in his mind.

_'I haven't been moping.' _Hiei grunted,_ 'The onna is taking way to damn long to contact us.'_ Hiei crossed his arms. He hasn't been able to get her disappearance out of his head very often, and it wasn't for very long. Grimly the fire demon decided he was going to have to stop letting Ki into his head, it was becoming a damn nuance.

One that distracted him. And he didn't care, but Hiei couldn't even lie to himself right now.

_'Damn it!' _

imoto* - little sister

**This was the hardest damn chapter I've writen yet!!! And the longest too. Anyways umm, I don't want to give away a lot about the plot line but things are going to get a bit steamy, so ifin you don't like steamy don't read.**

**14 DAMN PAGES 14~! oh my acing fingers. and butt. i need a more comfortable computer chair. Must thank Tears of a Dark Moon, dragonwingedangel, Kaori Minamino, Potassium Chloride, OoOlady heatherOoO, Gesshoku2, Rachaeltje, Akatsuki's jewl, Zegg, and blackrose4ever. for reviewing.**

**I would really like some feedback on this chapter, please! **


	18. Chapter 18: Putting the Past Behind

Chapter 18: Putting the Past Behind

__

"Mate."

Ki snapped out of her daze, tearing her eyes away from the churning water of a stream she smiled at the one who called her. She responded by saying his name, but she couldn't hear it.

He was taller then her, face blurred and hidden by shadows. Ki found herself in his strong arms nuzzling into his warm chest. "You people have been waiting rather impatiently for you announce which son is your heir." A callused hand cupped her cheek.

"Hmm, they should already know." Ki mused, her own voice was much softer then normal. "Best not keep them waiting much longer." He wrapped an arm around her waist and started to lead her away from the stream.

"Your brother and parents are here as well." His rough voice held a tint of amusement as Ki raised her eyebrows in mild surprise. "You shouldn't be so shocked, they've been hounding me for answers. You're lucky I decided to let you have your fun in watching them squirm."

Ki laughed, "Oh you poor thing, is big bad Satan to much for you to handle?" Ki loved to tease her soul mate like this. Having grown up thinking Satan was a big bad hot shot demon in Hell, it was discouraging for him to find out that Satan former king of Hell was actually a big bad teddy bear.

He grunted refusing to allow himself to take the bait in an argument he knew Ki would win. He shoved open a set of heavy doors rather roughly and scowled seeing his in laws waiting for them rather impatiently. His, brother-in-law, the most impatient was picking a fight with his own nephews in order to pass the time.

Ki blinked as he barked their names, why couldn't she hear them, or see their faces? Her father looked the same, grinning stupidly as he wrapped his daughter up in a hug. "Ello, have I mentioned how much you've changed since Kiriai died?"

"Hai father," Ki smiled and returned her father's embrace without hesitation or awkwardness. "You don't stop reminding me."

Satan grinned cheekily, "Well I wouldn't want you to forget now would I?" Still as annoying as ever it seamed.

"Oi, I want to give my big sister a hug too!" Satan sighed and passed Ki over to her younger brother, who enveloped her in a suffocating bear hug. "What's up old lady?" Ki's smile turned to an annoyed frown and she punched her brother in the stomach making him let her go.

"Urusai, you still act like a baby." Ki growled giving her brother's ear a hard tug just to listen to him whine. Even though one could say she was acting rather immature about the comment about her age.

"Ow! Everyone's a baby compared to you!" he pulled himself from Ki's grip easily by straightening up to his full height. "But you're still my sister."

"Well she's my daughter." Ki could see her mother come from the kitchen with a small child following in her wake. "Okibi, you should have had daughters first," She informed her daughter, making her grandsons groan in irritation. "That is if they were all like," Ki couldn't hear the name of the small girl following her grandmother curiously examining everything along the way. Including the sword leaning against the wall with bright eyes.

The grandsons in question immediately started an argument with their grandmother. There were many things they have been able to prove in their lifetime. Not that it had been really long yet, but still. Gaining true approval from both of their parents was truly a thing to be noted for. She was always making comments about wishing they were girls. Were as Ki's brother and father were busied themselves with the task of distracting the youngest child, so she wouldn't pay attention to the cursing that soon issued after the argument had started.

"Mine," Ki smirked when the low voice of her mate whispered into her ear, as he drew her body against his hot one. "Only we could have such a dysfunctional family." He growled kissing her neck lightly.

"Hmm, and this is only my half of the family." Ki smiled, "And you should know your side of the family is coming. Bringing, the extended family too." Ki laughed when her mate groaned, shoulders slumping at the thought.

Her family had truly grown in size and grown closer together. She truly felt content, even with the occasional rumors of war or battles floating around.

Ki could hear the dim command of 'wake' and found herself desperately trying to fight it. She wanted to go back to that world, that world where happiness and contentment were overflowing. Even if it was just a dream.

Ki's eyes opened and she groaned as the face of her sister came into view. Cold stone pressed against her nearly bare back, making it uncomfortable and impossible to try and enter the dream again. Ki found her self chained to the wall, her body splayed out like a 'X' as she glared at Kiriai.

"Hmm, how does it feel, being under someone's thumb?" Kiriai asked in a mock sweet voice. Ki gave her bonds a hard tug, and grimaced when they sucked her energy and shot it back at her mixed with lighting. "You're an impatient person, Okibi. I was going warn an explain to you about those chains, but you beat me to it." Kiriai smiled sweetly at her captive, who glared murderously in response. "If you fight them too much they will take your energy rather painfully and send it back to you with lighting mixed in. But if you don't fight they will slowly grow in length as a reward."

Ki growled, "You had better hope they don't grow long enough for me to wrap my hands around your scrawny neck!" She bared her teeth scaring the demon a few feet behind Kiriai.

"I don't think you'll be able to wait that long. Anyway I have some questions for you." Ki clenched her teeth and closed her eyes, ignoring Kiriai's annoying voice. "To get to Hell you would have to have gotten a portal yes? But you don't know anything about today's technology, so you would have to have had help. And because I found you with the Spirit Detectives, you must have gone crawling to Koenma."

Ki felt a stab of anger at the insult to her pride._ 'Crawling? I think not.'_

"How long were you with Koenma and his dogs?" Kiriai demanded. When Ki didn't answer Kiriai back handed her, and smiled when Ki's lip split and blood started to leak down her face. The dragon demon was still in her shredded clothing and dried blood covered her face and body. Ki grimaced as her head started to throb, she managed to hit her head right where a cut was.

"Do you know how strong Koenma's army is?"

No answer.

"How would I get my hands on the Spirit Detective's loved ones?"

Still no answer.

Kiriai growled in irritation and grabbed a dagger from the guard behind her. "Answer me!" Ki opened her eyes to give Kiriai a dead stare before spitting blood at her.

"Kiss, my scaly ass." Ki growled ignoring the dagger in Kiriai's grip. Kiriai whipped the blood from her face, angrier then ever. Snarling like a rabid dog, she thrust the dagger into Ki's stomach and gave it a cruel ninety degree twist.

Ki bit down on her tongue as pain wracked her body in waves, with out thinking she tried to pull away from Kiriai only to be electrocuted by her bonds. Inside she was screaming thrashing about wildly as though it would make it stop. She couldn't remember ever feeling pain like this. Even her fight with Enma hadn't caused her to feel this. Kiriai twisted the dagger again, sending frsh waves of pain through Ki's body.

"Answer me bitch!" Kiriai hissed pulling the bloodied dagger from Ki roughly.

Ki coughed, and spat out the blood that filled her mouth. "I told you, you'll have to kiss my ass."

"Urusai!" Ki's mouth slammed shut and she glared at Kiriai hatefully as the guard lowered a screen from the ceiling. "I'm setting up a chat with Koenma and his Spirit Detectives, he should be giving me his answer soon. How do you think the Spirit Detectives will react, seeing you like this?"

Ki clenched her mouth shut and Kiriai smiled letting her stay silent, it didn't matter she would see for herself. "My Lady, Koenma's coming through." Kiriai nodded to the demon and Koenma's face appeared on the screen.

"Kiriai, I doubt this is about your surrender." Koenma said stiffly, behind him Ki could see the faces of Yusuke, Kuwabara, Kurama, Kishin and Hiei behind him. She was grateful that neither Seiyoku nor Shiin were in the office. They would blow their cover as dragon demons if they were there.

Kiriai smiled sweetly showing off her teeth, "Well, I was wondering if you were going to surrender. After all I do believe I just took your secret weapon back didn't I?" She nodded to the guard again and the screen pushed Koenma aside so that Ki could see herself. Obviously what the Spirit detectives were seeing.

Ki scowled, she looked like something an oversized demonic house cat would drag in. And that was being kind. Her face was covered in both dry and fresh blood, her cheek already bruising from were Kiriai had slapped her. Her clothing was nothing but rags hanging on her body, covered in her own blood and dirt. She was missing a shoe and the newest stab wound was bleeding profusely. In short she was a bloody fucked up mess.

"I can see you have a prisoner of war behind you. And this person is?" Guess he couldn't see through the blood and dirt.

Kiriai looked shocked, "Why Okibi Dokuja of course! Didn't you think I was going to go after my runaway sister?" Now the faces of the Spirit Detectives turned to shock and furry. Ki watched refusing to show any pain as Hiei's crimson eyes locked on her. "But she's a bit tongue tied at the moment. Can't seem to say more then a few words. Can you sister dear?"

Ki glared murderously at Kiriai baring her teeth. The glare turned to shock as a heavy fist tunneled into her stomach. The guard sent waves of fresh pain through her system instantly, catching her by surprise and earning a small whimper of pain. "Answer Lady Kiriai wench." Ki spit blood into the eyes of the guard, earning another punch and getting her head slammed back into the wall.

"Stop it, give her a chance to repeat the only thing that she seams to know how to say." Ki could see the worried faces of the spirit detectives, Kurama was biting his thumb to keep from saying anything and Yusuke and Kuwabara were visibly shaking with restraint. Kishin and Hiei's faces however were cool, almost impassive if not for the promise of death in their eyes.

"Kiss. My. Ass." Ki growled loudly making sure Kiriai and Koenma could hear her.

Yusuke grinned suddenly, "You tell her emo!" Ki frowned, they had been calling her that since the band incident and refused to tell her what it meant. All of them looked a little relieved, but Koenma looked more then just a little relieved, more like he was happy she hadn't said anything, making Ki frown and narrow her eyes in suspicion. They thought she would rat them out!

Kiriai shrugged, letting the guard kick Ki in the chest. "No matter, I'll get information out of her. Meanwhile. Koenma."

"Hm?" Koenma was half glaring at Ki with suspicion and had tuned out everything else.

"I have a proposition to make." Kiriai said waving her hands in the air. "I can control Okibi, and make her do anything I want with a simple command. Let me demonstrate." Ki's bonds were loosened and she fell to the floor in a limp heap. "Get up!"

Ki scowled and tried to fight the command. She shook, desperately throwing her will against the power that was taking over her own body. "No damn it!" She hissed, digging her own claws into her legs, trying to keep them still.

"Now." Ki muffled her small cry of defeat as her will was overthrown and she was standing straight up facing the screen. "Change into a mouse." Ki's eyes flew open in disbelief as her own change started to betray her. Koenma stared at Kiriai and Ki in shock, mouth slightly agape as the dragon demon changed into a mouse before his very eyes.

_'Onna, what are you doing?'_

_Hiei snapped breaking Ki's train of thought._

_'What the hell do you think I'm doing!'_

Ki demanded throwing her will against the next command to change into a monkey._ 'Help me damn it!'_ Hiei grunted and added his will to her own. Kiriai growled menacingly and Ki changed into her normal form instead of a monkey.

"It seams I'll have to adjust the power for two wills." Kiriai's gaze locked on Hiei, who was looking more drained now then a second ago. "I was careless to think that Okibi wouldn't call out for help. Obviously her pride is lower then I thought." Ki ground her teeth together, the command to be quiet closing off her voice box.

"Anyway back to my, preposition." Kiriai waved a dismissive hand at Ki, who was hauled up off of the floor and bound to the wall. Ki struggled weakly with the guard before he stabbed her himself with a smaller blade and forced her into her bonds. Furious Ki made a lung for him, only to be electrocuted with her own power. She writhed in silent pain against the wall, refusing to give Kiriai the satisfaction of hearing her scream.

"Remove your troops from the battle field with Mukuro, and I won't send Okibi here after you." Kiriai smiled as Koenma's face paled, "If you don't reply-" The doors behind Koenma flew open and a furious Shiin entered the room glaring at the screen murderously.

"I have a fucking proposition for you!" Shiin raged pushing Koenma out of his way, so Kiriai could see just how angry the gray eyed demon really was, "You let Ki go, and have her here in two days time, or I'm coming after you, and you won't stand a chance!"

Ki groaned, Shiin just blew his cover threatening Kiriai like that. She would ignore the demand and look him up. Wasn't he being bloody brilliant?

"Consider the offer Koenma." She cut off the link and faced Ki again, looking ready for round two. "So how close are you to the fire demon?"

Kiriai had left the room hours ago, and Ki was trying to think through the buzz in her head. What started out as a small head ace turned into a buzz that sent tingles through her body. Before Ki could stop herself, she realized she was watching the guard intensely, rather dirty thoughts and images running through her head. The tingling sensation and thoughts increased as the minutes slipped by, the buzz quieting as her thoughts focussed on her realization.

Heat.

Her heat cycle was kicking in, and she was strung up on the wall like some kind of offering to the male guard who would be feeling the affects himself soon.

_'Damn it! Why the hell does this have to start now!'_

Ki thought furiously trying to cling to what little sanity she had left before the full onslaught of her heat took over. Only an hour after that she had lost her mind to the overpowering feeling of lust and need. The guard himself was visibly forcing himself away from the aroused, female not ten feet from him.

Ki could smell him, but it was wrong. It clicked somewhere in her clouded mind that his sent was wrong. He wasn't the demon she wanted, no _needed._ But he could be of some use to her.

Ki watched the demon squirm, unblinking as he argued with himself. Finally he came to an end and walked toward Ki's chained form, undoing his weapons and dragging out the keys. He gave her a lust filled stare as he freed her. As soon as her arms and legs were free, Ki wrapped her legs around the demon and grabbed his head. She smiled cruelly as the demon thought she was going to kiss him, and jerked his head to the side. Quickly and efficiently snapping his neck.

"I would never waste my time on you." Ki hissed at the demons dead form. "Although." Even in heat her mind was ticking, regressing back to a primal state Ki grabbed the demon's wrist and sank her fangs in deep. Pressing for time she swallowed a few mouthfuls of the pheromone rich blood, then ripped herself away.

A small groan escaped her as the pain that racked her body lightened. Checking her cheek Ki smirked in satisfaction to find that the bruise was not there. All minor injuries and soreness had subsided, healed from the demon's blood. Ki stripped the demon of his pants and shirt, kicking him for no real reason as she did so. Changing into the stolen clothes Ki grimaced at the smell, and kicked her shoe off. Snatching keys and a dagger Ki left the corpse behind and left in search of a way out and her swords.

*~*~*~*~*

"Boys pay attention!" Koenma growled, "I need you to go to the makai and intercept Mukuro's forces before she launches another attack on Kiriai!"

Seiyoku hung upside down in the doorway to Koenma's office, occasionally flicking Shiin in the ear for amusement. "Hm, I think we should warn them about yours truly and Ki when we get her back." Seiyoku mused watching the Spirit Detectives not really caring what they were doing at the time.

"If you want to."

"Hey boys!" Seiyoku sang swaying back and forth now, "You all should know that I'm going to go into heat soon. And bec-"

"Play safe and in a room, I don't want to sit on the couch after you and Kishin have done the dirty on it." Yusuke scolded shaking his head. He really loved his couch.

"Lemme finish!" Seiyoku pouted childishly, crossing her arms. "I'm a dragon demon, and because of that my heat cycle effects everyone, within this building I think. Maybe a little bigger area. So all of you are going to be uncomfortable for a good week and a half maybe." She flicked Shiin's ear as the boys gapped at her, "Oh! And Ki-chan's cycle starts around the same time as mine, so it'll be even more uncomfortable depending on when they start and whatnot."

Koenma groaned and slammed his head on the desk, "**TWO** female dragon demons in heat, at the same time, and in the same place, somebody kill me now."

"That can be arranged." Shiin growled, glaring murderously at Koenma baring his teeth.

"The onna probably won't even come here." Hiei growled, "Part of her deal with Satan was that for the next ten years her heat would be ten times as intense and she can only bed her soul mate." Hiei stated crossing his arms remembering part of the deal that Ki struck with her father, and the unspoken deal he was also bound to with Satan.

Seiyoku tilted her head to the side and broke out in a sudden grin, confusing everyone in the room. "I'll make a bet on that."

*~*~*~*~*

Ki kept a watchful eye on the tree line, waist deep in a river washing her own blood off of her body. More then one sent was carried on the wind and told her that many male demons were clustered there, watching closely. Except for watching them for unwanted advancements Ki ignored them, ducking underwater to scrub the dried blood out of her scalp and off her face.

On her way out of Kiriai's, no her own kingdom, Ki had killed many more guards and repeated to the process of drinking a few mouthfuls of their blood until the stab wounds and cuts were nothing but angry red scratched and the swelling had gone down. Sometimes being a demon closer to primal instincts and powers came in handy.

Finally satisfied that she was no longer coated in blood, Ki stepped out of the river and issued a warning growl to the demons in the trees who started shifting and moving about. She dressed quickly and whipped around to stare at the far bank when soldiers burst through.

__

'Not Kiriai's.'

Ki relaxed only a little, wary of the newest demons in the fray. Many of them were grinning stupidly, lust burning in their eyes as they started to advance on her. 

Ki hissed, grip tightening on her sword. These were deserters of Mukuro's army, trying to escape the battle field not far behind them. Cowards, and no good soldiers, just looking at them made Ki sick to her stomach. She turned away, starting for the horse she had stolen from the stables and prepared to ride.

"Where do you think you're going?" The deserters charged across the river and circled her horse, keeping her at bay.

Ki snarled in irritation, "Leave. Now." They chuckled and Ki let the horse rear up on his hind legs, kicking at the demons in front. The had circled her, leaving her with no escape route. "Damn."

"Are you telling me you can't even handle a few demons onna?"

Ki glared into the trees meeting Hiei's crimson gaze. The fire demon was shirtless and every time he moved it showed off the raw muscles of his chest and back. Ki groaned as her need spiked higher then before, she was already pulsing and acing with desire it only made it worse as Hiei's gaze trailed over her.

"Hiei. Run." Ki grunted, her self control had been slipping a bit more each hour she fought against it.

Hiei narrowed his eyes and lunged for the demons surrounding her. Within the blink of an eye the corpses fell around her and Hiei was glaring into the trees filled with the other demons there.

"What are you doing here?" Hiei's cold voice demanded as the demons started to back off, fear of the newcomer consuming them.

"Bathing." Ki shot back slightly irritated he wasn't listening to her, "I was washing off the dried blood." Hiei grunted and glanced over his shoulder sensing the approach of more demons. Ki blinked in surprise as he jumped into the saddle behind her grunting, "Ride."

Ki couldn't think, his sent was intoxicating, filling her head. Following his orders she kicked the horse into a steady trot and started away from the river. He smelled good, like the forest and smoke, and something else that Ki couldn't quite place. Something dark and alluring, something Hiei.

"Onna!" Hiei grabbed the reins from her, encasing her in his warmth as he lead the horse away from the path that would take them back to Kiriai.

"Gomen." Ki muttered, it was impossibly hard to think.

Hiei grunted in reply, it was getting hard for himself to think straight. Seiyoku wasn't kidding when she said it was going to be a bitch to control himself. Her smell was already addicting, but this was murder. Deciding that staying on the horse was a bad idea Hiei pulled it to a stop and got down, taking Ki with him. Ki made a sound of surprise and looked at war with herself as she was pulled into Hiei's grasp.

_'What's she thinking?'_

Hiei grabbed Ki's wrist and led her down a near invisible path away from the horse and toward the portal that would take them to the spirit world.

Ki stumbled a little as she scum bugged to her heat, her mind shutting down and focussing on the male youkai that could easily give her what she wanted. Grabbing Hiei's arm she turned him to face her and claimed his lips with her own. The kiss was hungry and demanding, as Ki threaded her fingers into Hiei's hair. Hiei's mind blanked, taken over by the compulsion to claim her as his and giving in to the calls her body was sending.

Hiei wrapped his strong arms around her waist, easily supporting Ki when she wrapped her legs around his waist, grinding against the erection that Hiei was suddenly sporting. Ki moaned into the kiss, letting Hiei's tongue sweep into her mouth and claiming it as his. He braced her against a tree, sliding his palms up under her shirt and lifting it up until he was forced to break the kiss to get it off. Hiei kissed her lips, moving down her jaw line to her neck, scraping his fangs against her skin, smirking at the sharp intake of breath that followed.

Ki raked her nails over Hiei's chest, playing over his broad shoulders and washboard abs. Hiei was muscular, true but not overly muscular that his muscles were ridiculous. Ki purred in pleasure as Hiei ripped away the wraps around her chest and latched onto a nipple hungrily. Rolling it between his teeth and flicking it with his tongue. Hiei switched breasts, sliding a hand into the waistband of her pants.

Ki unwrapped her legs, and let him peal off the shorts. Hiei kicked off his boots as Ki fumbled with his belts, hands shaking with the pleasure that stormed her body mercilessly. Hiei was crashing over her like an unstoppable erotic wave that left her dizzy and gasping for breath. She finally undid his pants, and let them pool around his ankles she cupped his heavy cock in her hand. Hiei growled irritated with the clothing that barred his way to her core, and dragged her underwear down her legs and let them fall.

Ki purred in approval as Hiei pushed three fingers into her creaming core. Hiei kissed Ki's mouth, biting her lip to gain entrance to her mouth. Ki groaned into the kiss as Hiei pulled his fingers away. How dare he leave her like this, unsatisfied. If he even tried to just leave, Kami help her, Ki would kill him with her bare hands. Hiei chuckled suddenly, voice low and husky laced with desire.

"I'm not going anywhere." Damn mind reader. Ki would have been furious with him, if he didn't settle back on his haunches and cup her butt. One hand pulled her thigh over his shoulder, so that Ki was nearly straddling his face.

A load moan ripped from Ki's lips as Hiei pushed his tongue into her creaming core. It took him less then a minute to bring Ki to a screaming orgasm that had her clutching at his head for balance. Hiei smirked, and continued licking her, addicted to her taste already. When her grip on his hair loosened, Hiei grabbed her hips and pulled her down. Impaling her with ruthless ease.

Ki groaned, Hiei had barely given her a second after her orgasm before he had her writhing in pleasure against him. His mouth latched onto her neck, biting and sucking. Ki started grinding their hips together, desperate to get Hiei moving. She felt stuffed, a very good kind of stuffed.

"Damn it, onna." Hiei grunted against the skin of her neck. The feeble leash he had thrown over his lust was snapping. He wanted to put her down and pound the brains out of her. Ki smiled a siren's smile.

"Something wrong?" Ki purred knowing all to well that she was making it hard for him, and was waiting for him to jump her, rather impatiently. Hiei growled at her dangerously and rolled her onto her back, pinning her hands above her head and kissing her slowly. He groaned into her mouth as Ki rocked her hips against his, pleading with him to start. Slowly Hiei pulled out, and slid back in, shafting her in long deep strokes.

Ki wrapped her legs around his waist, changing the angle trying to get him as deep as possible in her core. Her sex was slick and tight around his cock, and it was slowly driving Hiei mad. He wanted to spin this out, make it last as long as he could. But Ki was making it harder then it should have been, she was intoxicating. She moaned against him, thrusting her hips up against his, trying to goad him into a faster pace. He complied picking up the pace as he went to kiss and suck her neck.

"Hiei, damn it bastard go harder!" Ki growled wrenching her hands free of his grip and clawing his shoulders trying to still her spinning world.

"Beg."

Ki's eyes flared dangerously, and she tangled her legs with his, bucking up against him while pushing on one shoulder and pulling on the other. Hiei grunted in surprise as Ki rolled him onto his back, her powers shifting out of control. Blue wings slid out of her back, as she ground against Hiei, Ki braced her hands on his chest and started to bump and grind against Hiei at a fast pace. Ki's climax was building at an alarming rate within her. To fast.

Hiei groaned beneath Ki, a deep growl in his throat. Grabbing her hips, Hiei rolled his own upwards, pushing deeper into Ki, relishing in her satin heat. Ki threw her head back, her nails pricking the skin of Hiei's chest as pleasure swamped her senses like nothing she could remember before. Hiei growled low, and rolled Ki under his hard body. He grabbed her wrists and kept them in a firm grip above her head, keeping her pinned down with his weight.

"Mine." The snarl was possessive and dominant. Deeper then Hiei's voice normally was. His hips slammed into Ki's, with thrusts harsh and powerful. He pushed deeper and deeper into the dragon demon almost to the point were it hurt.

"Mine." Their minds opened to each other, sharing what they felt and their very essence. Their very soul's mixing together as though they were made for the other. Ki screamed in pleasure as her climax thundered over her, eyes wide and unseeing. And she screamed, relishing in the pure feeling that swamped her.

"MINE!" Hiei roared, sinking his fangs into her neck, just barely avoiding her life vein in the process. This own climax

just shy of that last nudge to send him over. The slight pain of her fangs digging into her shoulder in attempt to silence her own scream had him thrusting harder into her. Hiei released her wrists, pushing up onto his forearms, changing the angle ever so slightly. Gaining better leverage to shaft deeper into her slick core.

Ki raked her nails over his shoulders and back, freed of Hiei's weight. Ki wrapped her legs high over his hips, rocking and bucking in perfect time with his movements. As though their bodies had preformed the primal dance many times before, Ki's lips sought out a particularly sensitive spot on Hiei's neck. Receiving a growl of pleasure Ki smirked against his neck tucking the location of Hiei's sensitive spot in the back of her head for future use.

Hiei rolled his hips, giving the feeling of his cock corkscrewing inside her. Ki cried out again as another climax rose up inside of her. Faster then before, and stronger. Ki fisted her hands in his hair and dragged him down for a fiery kiss. Hiei groaned as Ki started to milk him for his seed. She was starting her third climax eyes widening and lips parting as she stared up into his crimson gaze.

Hiei lunged forward and froze as Ki bit into the sensitive spot on his neck. Buried in her to the hilt his cock swelled even more before his release washed over him. Hiei roared in satisfaction throwing his head back. Ki focused on him, unable to remember if she had seen anyone look that primal, that joyous while having sex.

Hiei slumped forward as his climax ended, breathing hard his crimson gaze locked on the content woman under him. Slowly almost lazily Hiei kissed her, sweeping his tongue in her mouth, claiming it as his. Breaking the kiss Hiei leaned down to whisper in her ear.

"Your _mine_ onna. Don't forget that." He rolled to the side, easily avoiding crushing her with his weight.

Ki muttered something unintelligible as she rolled to the side currling up against his warm sweaty chest. Releasing one of the blue wings that had folded under her as not to get crushed. It crept over both of them, covering their bodies in a warm cocoon. Shielding their naked bodies from view as they drifted into easy sleep.

*~*~*~*~*

"You're being annoying Shiin." Seiyoku whined as they followed the Spirit Detectives back through a portal that led them to the mansion. Except for Hiei, the fire youkai had gone off on his own muttering something about killing worthless demons.

Shiin groaned, "Well you'll have to get over that." Seiyoku huffed and grabbed his ear, pulling on it harshly.

"Okay then. Lemme try a different approach." Seiyoku smiled evilly, a smile rarely shown and never failed to send shivers down Shiin's spine. "You are being a dick head. Okibi-chan, has found her soul mate. Call it woman's intuition if you want. But it's something I just know right now." Shiin glared murderously at the green hared woman.

"Tch."

Sieyoku responded ever so maturely by pulling harder on his ear and leading him like a dog on a leash through the house and to the training room. Kishin's gaze followed them intensely, softening when Seiyoku grinned at him and blew a kiss before continuing on her way. Her heat was going to start anytime now, maybe any second and she honestly couldn't wait. And she suspected Kishin couldn't either.

Only once inside the room did Seiyoku let Kishin's ear go. "Shiin Kyoujin you're a real dumb ass you know that?" Sieyoku crossed her arms and gave her friend a pathetic stare. One that irritated Shiin to levels that couldn't be surpassed by anyone else.

"And how, prey tell, would I be a dumb ass?" Shiin seethed, drawing his sword ready to pounce on the other dragon demon.

"You have your _real_ soul mate right here in front of you and yet, you ignore her and avoid her like she was the plague."

Shiin grit his teeth angrily, "I'll say this only once. I will only ever want Okibi. I want to be by her side again. My soul is hers to do with as she pleases. If she wanted me to keel over and die, then I would do it for her."

SMACK.

The sound of Seiyoku's palm hitting Shiin's face filled the room. "You are such a moronic idiot. Okibi-chan has given you back your soul to do with as you please. In fact she never really held it in the first place. When will you grow up and see that nothing will happen the exact way you want it to be? Okibi has been working to put her past behind her and move on. You went and died, missing the confession she made before I ran into Enma. So I'll share my memory with you."

Seiyoku grabbed Shiin's head with both hands and closed her eyes. Coming to grips with her physic powers she leaped into Shiin's mind and brought the memory to surface. Forcing him to watch as she did. Shiin's mouth went slack as his eyes glazed over, watching the memory in his minds eye.

__

"Seiyoku-chan?" Ki's voice was horse, almost foreign to Shiin as she stumbled out of her room hearing the not so calm voice of Seiyoku.

The green hared dragon demon spun around, a wide grin covering her face easily as she rushed to her friends side. She supported Ki and led her back to her room. "Ne ne, you shouldn't be moving around yet. Your body has just recovered. We talked about this last night."

Ki scowled at the thought, but sank back onto a bed gratefully. "You still haven't told me yet, where's Shiin-kun?"

Seiyoku bit her lip, normally bright eyes filling with hurt and concern. "He's a baka you know." A small smile crossed Ki's lips, taking it as Shiin was in the building somewhere. "Well, Okibi-chan, I well-" Ki's smile faded as Seiyoku continued to trip over her words. Not sure how to break the news to her best friend that her lover was dead.

"Seiyoku-"

"He's dead."

The room went cold within seconds. Anguish filled Ki's eyes and face, anguish partnered with vulnerability. "He went berserk. That stupid hot headed idiot, after he finally came to realize you were dead. His grief turned to rage. There is only so much Shiin could keep inside. He wasn't very stable in the first place." Seiyoku's voice cracked, and tears slowly slid down her own cheeks as she looked down ashamed. "I yelled at him before he left you know. I insulted him and acted like a bitch. He finally cracked and left screaming he would kill everyone who was in the tower and didn't help you.

"I told him he was being an ass and wouldn't shed a tear for him if he died in the attempt." Seiyoku hesitated before continuing with the nod from Ki. "He left anyway. It was only later that I found out that he tried to take on six of the dragon demons on alone. Airborne. He was the best flyer around, but not even he could hold out against six. He was ripped to shreds literally."

Ki let a lone tear escape her, let it slide down her face slowly.

"You know what? I don't blame you for not trying to stop him Seiyoku. In all honesty if our places were switched I would have done the same thing." Ki didn't bother to wipe the tear form her face, "I'm not going to look back from now on Seiyoku." She earned a strange look from her friend.

"I mean I'm going to start moving forward. Without looking back and letting my sins hold me back." Ki looked up sadly, "Shiin if you can hear me, listen up. The next time we meet I'm going to throw you across the room or field or what ever and tell you how much of an idiot you are."

Shiin smiled grimly to himself, "Well she did throw me half way across this very room when she found me and Hiei fighting. And she might have mentioned something about me being stupid for dying."

Sieyoku's face softened, she truly did feel bad for the things she had said to Shiin the night before he died. It was a weight she carried on her shoulders for a long time. It was a heavy burden she was happy to be free of when she came to terms with herself. And that took what seamed like forever.

"Shiin, you are living in the past." Seiyoku suppressed the urge to slap herself in the forehead as Shiin got on the defensive again.

"Seiyoku quit it already!" Shiin lunged at her as she opened her mouth to protest. Nimbly she jumped away, grabbing a spear that was leaning against he wall for those who wanted to practice with it.

"Looks like I get some practice tonight." Seiyoku whined to herself, knocking away Shiin's blade expertly and bringing the butt of the spear shaft up into the dragon demon's stomach. "Just a little rusty."

Shiin growled still irritated with her. "Right now you shouldn't be concerned about me anyway. Okibi is still within Kirai's grasp. We should be out there fighting to get her back!"

"Don't you think it would have been wiser not to have shown her your face?" Seiyoku asked, barely ducking under a swing that would have decapitated her. "I mean, if you really want to help Ki-chan, ooo I love this nickname for her!, then you should have kept your presence a secret." Seiyoku just missed Shiin's head with the spear shaft, "Having a second dragon demon come at you would strike fear into the heart of her army and they would probably scatter. But now they probably know about you and it won't have the same effect."

"You don't know what it's like to be on the front lines anyway. So how would you know how it would feel!"

Seiyoku groaned, they were getting off topic. "I talked and spent time with the soldiers baka. Anyway this is too off topic for me." Her tail appeared and smashed into Shiin's side unexpectedly.

"Ooof." Air left his lungs quickly as he retreated a few steps trying to suck air back into his lungs.

"You can't come waltzing back into anyone's life expecting everything to be the same as you left it. People grow and change. They mature and even their hearts undergo a change. Weather its small or large its still there. You aren't seeing that in Ki-chan." Seiyoku 'eeped' and fled away from Shiin's sword. "Shiin, you have to see it. Ki doesn't have the same feeling for you anymore. She has found her soul mate. And weather or not she will acknowledge that fact is up to her.

"But you can't keep hanging around her making the choice that much harder for her to make. She's moved on and it's really past time you should have too." Seiyoku made a discussed face feeling the soft hum of her heat start to well up inside her body.

Shiin slowly stopped, starting at her a little shocked, "Am I really holding her back?"

"Hai."

The humming was increasing at a rapid pace, much, much faster then normal. _'Crap, I have to finish getting this through Shiin's thick skull!'_

Shiin nodded, "I need to think about this for awhile." He touched the lightly bleeding wound across his cheek that Seiyoku managed to get him with. Listening to her speak seriously was hard to do while fighting. When she was serious you shouldn't play around.

Seiyoku grinned, "Good. Now if you excuuuuse me!" Seiyoku tossed the spear to the side humming to herself. "I have some errm, business to attend to."

She practically flew up the stairs, as she went the sent of her heat ran ahead of her. Already starting effect some of the males in the room above. She skipped into the living room and latched onto Kishin instantly, wrapping her legs around his waist and kissing him hungrily.

"Hey, hey in another room please." Yusuke begged, half disgusted by the random open show of lust and affection. Kurama smiled like the fox he was recognizing the sent of a female demon in heat he filled the room quickly as Seiyoku came in.

Seiyoku slowly pulled her lips away from Kishin's and faced him, electric blue eyes clouded over with lust, but not for him. "Ahh fine then. You're boring you know that Yusuke?" She detached her self from Kishin rather regretfully and started to drag him upstairs with him. At the foot of the stairs she turned back to Boton.

"Shiin's kinda bleeding downstairs. Its nothing major but you might want to go look at it. 'Cause I know he won't do a thing about it."

Boton nodded slowly and Seiyoku found herself back in Kishin's grip, getting hauled upstairs rather quickly.

Kurama cleared his throat, "Yusuke, I think it would be wise to send Kieko and the girls home. If we get to influenced by Ki and Seiyoku's heat." He coughed nervously, "Things could get rather messy."

Yusuke dead panned, shoulders slumping understanding what Kurama was trying to say. "I'll go get them now. Sooner rather then later sounds like a good thing right now."

*~*~*~*~*

"Lady Mukuro, I don't know how much longer the border armies can hold out against Kiriai." Mukuro scowled at her third in command. She has never found a suitable replacement for Shigure, and Hiei was the only one she thought would be a good heir.

"When her current attack falls back, have the men retreat back to the second line. We can't let her get too far in here. Otherwise she'll turn her attention to Koenma and just leave us out in the rain."

Mukuro barked, irritated with the demon's stupidity. She crossed to the office's window and looked out. The red sky had black smoke covering it to the west and fire's raging. Time was running out fast, and working steadily against her and her demons. Among her armies there has been a steady rate of demons who fled their post and ran into the forest.

She smiled grimly to herself. Those who ran to the forest were as good as dead. Mouken has been seen there with different demons at his heels. Some she didn't recognize, and all of them killed her soldiers that went in. It didn't take her long to realize she had to surrender the forest if she wanted to keep most of her men.

Besides Mouken was a petty breeder and scientist that did not interest her. But one of the demons she had seen did. A Fallen Angel demon, they did not come up from Hell very often. How and why Mouken had one was only a little interesting. There were many other things on her mind. Like what to do when Okibi Dokuja was finally handed over to her. Her smile was twisted as she left the window and headed down to go meet the new recruits that had come in from another part of the demon world.

"Lady Mukuro! Koenma is online to talk to you. He says it's urgent."

Mukuro scowled, what poor timing. "I'm coming." She went back up a flight of stairs and into her office, coming face to face with the baby faced ruler form before.

"Mukuro, I have some very bad news for you." Koenma said right off the back. Such a wonderful way to greet your allay. Mukuro nodded for him continue. "First of all, Okibi Dokuja was captured by Kiriai. The information wasn't confirmed until two days ago, and I couldn't reach you at the time. I apologize for this. However, recent information concerning her demon energy says she is no longer with Kiriai. Weather this means she is back under her control or she has broken out from under her nose again is still the question.

"We have reports that Hiei is with her. So we can assume he will stop her if need be." Koenma's face turned graver. "Also, I have come to the decision that we might just need more help then I had originally thought for the battle yet to come. I propose that we contact Satan and ask for his help."

Mukuro scowled. "I don't think that's very wise Koenma. Okibi herself was betrayed by Satan. Who is to say he won't betray us as well?"

"Because this time the trouble is caused by both of his children not just one. And he wants Kiriai to stop himself. So what's stopping him from helping but our neglect to ask?" Koenma asked raising an eye brow.

Mukuro clasped her hands behind her back thoughtfully. Kiriai and Okibi were sisters? Both spawns of Satan? Well this was an interesting development. "I'm assuming you are going to make the call then? Right now I am trying to focus on keeping Kiriai's attention on my armies. It's proving to be harder then I thought."

Koenma nodded, grateful for Mukuro's agreement. "Thank you Mukuro. " He ended the connection and let out an audible groan feeling Seioku's heat come up into his office. Great now he had to deal with a dragon demon in heat.

He eyed the monitor containing Ki's ever changing status. She has entered into her own heat cycle as well, and by the look of it was indulging herself as well. This wasn't a goo thing. Considering how close she was to the portal to the spirit world that would only close once Hiei has gone through it.

"This is going to be a very long two weeks." Koenma sighed starting upstairs to check on his father. He was not looking any better as time went on and there was little chance for him now to survive this war. Weather or not he took part in any of the fighting.

**Man this chapie is completely dedicated to Kaori Minamino and Tears of a Dark Moon. They were the only ones to review and I love 'em for it. (in an author to reader kinda way)**

**Kay, now I lied, I said chp. 17 was the hardest chapie I've written, I WAS WRONG! Hiei and Ki are stubborn and it's hard to keep them somewhat in character during this. OH! And if you think you know who Shiin's soul mate is tell meh and I'll tell ya ifin ur right or wrong. Hows about that for reviewing huh?**


	19. Chapter 19: Coming to Terms

Chapter 19: Coming to Terms

Hiei and Ki were staring the other down a good ten feet from the other. Both fully clothed and sane. The fire youkai was confused with Ki's reaction when she woke to find him examining her face in sleep. Her eyes widened with confusion then slight regret? He quickly got over that though when he smelled the sent coming from her clothes. It certainly wasn't hers and it was male.

"Onna."

"Hmm?" Ki's heart was racing, but slowly coming down. Hiei of all people was her soul mate, but now that she knew. How was he going to tell him this? How was he going to react? _'Well this got awkward.'_ What an understatement.

"Why are you wearing another oni's clothes?"

Ki blinked, he was being extremely blunt. "My other clothes were torn and bloody. I wasn't about to go around the makai in heat half naked." Lust flared in Hiei's eyes for a second before he stamped it back down. Just because they were sane doesn't mean they weren't effected by Ki's heat. "So I killed the guard who beat me and took his clothes after he was stupid enough to free me."

Hiei grunted in approval. "Come on onna, we have to take you to Koenma's."

Ki's eyes flared dangerously, "Why?"

"To keep Kiriai away from you." He snorted getting to his feet and crossing the ten foot gap with three strides. "Come on onna." Ki got to her feet and slowly followed Hiei through the woods. A smirk pulled at her lips as she examined Hiei's butt.

"Stop staring at my ass onna." Ki raised an eye brow at him, and found herself next to the fire demon instead of behind him.

"Hmm." Ki was letting her heat take over again. There was no use fighting it anymore, she could see the portal and could feel Seiyoku's heat cycle coming from the other side. "If it makes you uncomfortable just tell me." With that said Ki started for the portal again, a bit wobbly due to the lack of feeling in her legs.

Hiei noticed this and smirked widely. Damn male pride. Without a word he picked up Ki piggy back style. She didn't say anything, but looped her arms loosely around the fire demon's neck. He stepped through the portal and landed easily in the middle of the Prince's office.

"Hiei! Okibi! Where have you been!" Ki stared at him, only a little pissed off with his demand. Her pride wasn't her top issue right now.

"We're here now," Hiei grunted kicking the doors to the office open and heading down the hallway.

"It's been more then three days, we go after her now or I go alone." Ki blinked confused as Shiin's angry voice filled the hallway. She she slid off of Hiei's back and wobbled a few steps before regaining her balance enough to stand.

"As much as I would like to go find Ki myself and kick some ass, we can't do that." Yusuke's irritated tone was just as loud as Shiin's voice, getting louder as Hiei and Ki approached the hallway that lead to their rooms. "First of all, if Kiriai catches wind of it before we can move it will cause Ki more pain. And we have no idea were to look in the first place blundering around in the demon world is just like painting ourselves with bright neon orange paint!"

"Ki!" Ki whipped her head around to see Seiyoku charging for her, Seiyoku barreled into Ki and knocked her over. Ki landed on her back with a loud and painful 'oof'.

"Seiyoku, get off." Ki demanded turning red form the lack of oxygen. Seiyoku shook her head and squeezed harder.

Yusuke and Shiin stopped arguing and hearing Ki and Seiyoku, ran around the corner to see the pair on the floor. "Well it looks as though Hiei brought her home then anyway!" Yusuke cheered thumping Shiin on the back, oblivious to the dark look Shiin was giving the fire demon.

"Nu-hu, you ran off once and was kidnapped. I'm not letting you out of my sight again!" Seiyoku yelled. Ki's face visibly softened despite the redness.

"Well your going to kill me if you don't loosen up at least!" She choked out. Seiyoku "epped" and released Ki. She breathed in deeply as air was allowed to fill her lungs again. "Gomen. I didn't mean to worry you." She mumbled quieter so that only Seiyoku could hear.

"Your both in heat. Great." Shiin's sarcastic remark brought Ki's attention to him, she frowned feeling as though there was something she was supposed to reprimand him for but couldn't quite put her finger on it.

"Nice to see you too." She greeted dryly getting to her feet and pulling Seiyoku up with her. She yawned quietly and waved off whatever he was going to say before he started. "I'm tired. Talk later." Ki shuffled off to her room leaving the rest of the group in the hallway.

Yusuke turned to Hiei grinning mischievously. "So have you laid her yet?" Hiei smirked slightly and grunted pushing past him towards the kitchen.

*~*~*~*~*

"I'm going to kill her the next time I see her!" Kiriai swore marching away form Ki's cell. Her dangerous gaze shifting from one corner to an other in the small passage she was in. Searching for the way Ki took out of her castle. Those she passed jumped to the side in fear of being the outlet for her pent up rage.

Many of them remember the stories they had heard of what it had been like when Okibi ruled the castle. It wasn't ruled by fear, but of respect. The feeling of being in the castle wasn't fear or worrying about being the next outlet. It was calmer. More of a, place of refuge when you were tired or the quiet in a world of war and death. Some demons secretly wished the castle was that way now. Inwardly many were starting to rebel against Kiriai's rule but didn't have the courage to start or join a rebellion.

Mouken sniffed the air outside of Kiriai's castle noting the change in atmosphere of the demons residing in it. Interesting, they were unsettled and nervous. He grinned as Kiriai stormed out of the front doors. No wonder some of the guards looked as though they were about to piss themselves. Their fearless leader was PMSing.

"Lady Kiriai. How are you today, well I hope." Mouken said easily faking pleasantness.

"What are you hear for?" Kiriai snapped impatiently, she had no time for Mouken's games now.

Mouken raised an eyebrow, a twisted smile working it's way onto his face. "To give you an update, I figured you would want it in person since we are in a war." Mouken looked around to emphasis the point, "That way you would know it was coming from me and not an imposter trying to fool you into giving away information." Kiriai scowled at him but didn't say anything. Taking that as his go ahead Mouken started to rattle off his findings and how many demons he was able to bread for her army and how many would be ready for the next battle.

"That's not good enough, the tides have changed. I need more demons on my side." Kiriai snapped sharply glaring at Mouken feeling furious with the lack of numbers. She thought that there would have been more then that by now.

It was Mouken's turn to scowl, "I have very little Hell Hound Females, only males are coming from them anyway. It's hard to produce more animals faster when I have few animals to bread from in the first place!" His eyes flashed with anger and his lips pulled back from his teeth to snarl quietly at Kiriai.

He and Kiriai glared at each other neither willing to be the one to admit they were wrong. Finally Mouken averted his gaze realizing that a fight with a client was bad for business.

*~*~*~*~*

Ki pulled a pillow over her face and groaned quietly, her body was craving Hiei. She bit the pillow wishing she didn't knw why she was acting this way. Surely it wasn't only because of her heat, could it? No there was something more to it then that. Oh yeah the soul mate thing.

"Onna." A smile pulled at Ki's lips as Hiei's voice filled the room. She pushed the pillow away from her and let her smile grow wider seeing him hovering over her.

"Hiei."

Hiei's crimson eyes lit with the lust Ki half expected to be there because of her heat cycle. The effect made even stronger by the presence of Seiyoku and her own cycle. Should she tell him that they were soul mates? Or should she wait until after Kiriai is taken care of. If she really survives it in the first place.

"What's bothering you?" Ki blinked at the abrupt question, was he really asking?

"Nothing." Hiei narrowed his eyes at her. He knew something was wrong, just based by her reactions to him since this morning. The confusion was understandable but then the regret? He had caught her staring hungrily after him, eyes lit with the same lust that matched his own. And then now, she's happy to see him but almost immediately it changes to a unreadable emotion Hiei didn't recognize.

"Liar." Hiei growled., climbing over Ki to keep her down as her eyes narrowed in challenge. "You're keeping something from me onna. I can tell, so spill. What is it?"

Ki bit her lip. Should she tell him? Or should she keep this to herself until she had some real time to think about it. "Haven't you read my mind to find what I'm thinking?"

"No. Do you want me to?"

Ki felt her heart pounding harder then she thought it should have been. He was too close, she was too aware of him, his smell, the heat from his body, the hardness pressing into her thigh. And he was asking before he read her mind to find out the answers he wanted. What the hell? Two months ago when they had first met, he would have just run through her head without a care in the world. Did this soul mate thing really have that much effect on people?

"I'd rather you didn't." Ki murmured staring at his lips remember how they felt when he was kissing her.

Hiei smirked noticing where she was staring, "What would you rather I did?" Her blue eyes flashed with challenge, practically reading his mind as she caught onto his game.

"Well there are a few things I could think of." A siren's smile was pulling at her lips.

_'She's perfect.'_ Hiei thought briefly, _'Her body, her mind. The way she talks and controls her temper. The dangerous way she takes care of things.' _Hiei lowered his head to hers, a breath away from kissing her. _'I think she could help me become the brother Yukina deserves.' _

*~*~*~*~*

"Are you done peeping on them yet?"

Seiyoku jumped smiling guiltily as she turned around to face Kishin. "Well I should probably give them their privacy a this point." Kishin raised an eye brow looking into the window, to see Hiei peel of Ki's shirt and attack her neck in hungry kisses.

"Yeah I think you should." Kishin murmured kissing Seiyoku lightly on the lips before dragging her to the ground.

Seiyoku felt her wings melt back into her body as her feet touched the ground. She was about to get down to some serious business with Kishin when she heard Shiin roaring in the distance, followed by the sound of trees falling and the sound of a demon fighting for his life.

She sighed heavily and Kishin groaned, knowing what was going to happen next. "Can't you just let him destroy something just this once?"

Seiyoku smiled, "I could, but he needs me to talk to him right now." Kishin scowled and pulled her into his arms so she couldn't escape. "Besides, the anticipation is good for you. And you'll get the chance to set something kinky up."

Kishin smirked and released Seiyoku, "You have twenty minutes. Then I'm coming after you." Seiyoku smiled at the challenge and took off into the trees to find Kishin.

Kishin was breathing hard standing over the dead corpse of a spy from Kiriai's army. "Why the hell does he get to be her soul mate!" He growled clenching his fists, slamming one into a tree. "He doesn't deserve her, it's not right!" Shiin bellowed hacking at a tree with his sword.

Seiyoku sighed and shook her head, mentally preparing for the conversation. "Cal, down big boy. Tell mama Seiyoku what's wrong." Seiyoku called sitting in a tree behind him and well away from the danger.

"Hiei's the problem. He doesn't deserve Okibi. She's lowering herself bedding him." Seiyoku nodded what was going on. Shiin seamed to deflate suddenly as he continued to talk. "I saw the was looking at Hiei earlier. That hot possessive look, she's never looked at me that way. Not with that mush intensity. Seiyoku, how am I holding her back when she looks at him like that!" Seiyoku blinked, is he really maturing, a little?

"You still haven't told her you approve of her soul mate. That you'll let her go to be happy with his, if that's what she chooses." Seiyoku hopped down from her branch to hug Shiin as he broke down. Broad shoulders shaking as silent tears came down his face. "I'm so proud of you right now Shiin you know that? Your coming to terms with the inevitable. But just because you don't have the rights to call Okibi yours, you still have a special place in her heart." Shiin let himself be rocked back and forth by Sieyoku.

She always seamed to know what was going on in his head. All his life he had told himself that the only place open in Ki's heart was for her mate. He longed for that spot, just to be in her heart. The idea had formed by the way she kept Seiyoku and him at arms length for the longest time. And very slowly let them get close to her but managed to keep a cold outlook. When he managed to get inside her guard and see what kind of woman she really was at heart he fell instantly in love and had to prove it to her, while making her fall in love with him as well.

"Shiin you are the closest thing she has to true family. A real family that is always there for her. She'll always be there for you in exchange. She loves you just as much she will love Hiei, just in a different way. Don't push her away, not now when she could be needing you the most. She'll want to know so many different things, like how to tell a guy they're stuck together weather or not he says yes." Seiyoku ran her fingers through Shiin's hair comfortingly. The best was she knew how to relax him. His head dropped onto her shoulder as he mumbled a response.

"Your like family to her too Seiyoku. And I will be there for her. Even if it means pushing her closer to Hiei. It' just I've always thought I would be the one to tame her heart and give her the heirs to run her Kingdome when the time was right. Was so excited when I learned I was going to have a second chance. It's like you said, I thought that everything would be the same way I left it. And I clung to that." Seiyoku was silent, letting Shiin confess at his own pace, "I still love her Seiyoku. I really do, but I love her enough to see now that she is happier with Hiei then she was with me."

"Shiin you're going to make me cry!" Seiyouk wailed hugging him harder. Shiin chuckled feeling better then he had in years.

"Come on you big baby, help me get to the mansion so I can get patched up."

Seiyoku raised an eyebrow, "What did you do now?"

"The stupid demon got me in the leg and I can barely stand."

"Shin!"

**Hey guys, sorry for the several month long wait. It went on hiatus and then everything seamed to speed up instantly when softball season kicked into full swing. I can't garuntee it won't happen again, but i've got new inspriation to keep writing so things will pick up!**

**Thanks to those of you who have waited patiently and are still interested in how this turns out!**


	20. Chapter 20: War Is Upon Us

Chapter 20: War Is Upon Us

Ki's heat was slowly leaving her system on the fourteenth day. But despite that she still felt the hot rush of want and need when Hiei brushed too close to her, or just when he gave her a hot lost filled look that had her shivering in anticipation.

"Onna." Ki smiled slightly hearing Hiei's voice behind her. "Shiin's been acting differently. He doesn't glare murderously at me anymore. Why?"

Ki shrugged, she had also noticed the change in Shiin's behavior. And it worried her a little. "Hell if I know. Maybe he's given up plotting to kill you in your sleep."

"Hn." Hiei grunted pulling Ki into his lap as she sat on her balcony.

"What would you say if you had found your soul mate but didn't know. And that person never told you. And then they die, only after that, do you find out. What would you do?" Ki asked suddenly watching the sun set slowly beyond the horizon.

Hiei blinked in confusion, "Why are you asking me this?"

"I want your opinion on it," Ki shrugged eyeing Shiin as he passed below them smiling a little when he saw the pair. Something was seriously wrong with him.

Hiei was silent for so long Ki thought he wasn't going to answer the question, _'Is he going to answer the question or did it make him uncomfortable? He's changed emotionally a lot since I first met him, but that could have been something that had been happening before I had met him.' _

"Your soul mate's supposed to be the only person you could truly love right? So unless she had a rock solid reason as to hide it from me, I would probably feel betrayed. I wouldn't know the reason that drove her to secrecy.

"But my personal reaction would depend on how it happened or why. Or I'll just go into a fit of rage killing everything and the baka baby prince until he brought her back."

_'Why is she thinking of this now? Does she know who her soul mate is yet?' _Hiei found himself pulling Ki into a tighter embrace as though her mystery soul mate was here to claim her as his. Would he give her up? Could he? Hiei eyed the mating mark he had left on Ki's skin. It was an accident that they had marked each other, but it was one neither of them could take back now.

Hiei buried his nose in her hair, taking in the addicting sent that he couldn't get enough of. Then it hit him, this onna he held so _possessively_ in his arms she had come into his life and without his realizing it, turned it around. Her being with him made him feel like something he had never felt before, it made him feel like he was wanted. Like there was a real reason he fought against every obstacle in his life. She had crawled into his glacier of a heart and stuck there like a stubborn child determined to get its way.

She was in his every thought, haunting his mind. Making him think in ways that were alien to the thief he was raised as. Okibi Dokuja had stormed into his life and stamped herself onto his very soul. She had even wormed her way into his thoughts of the future.

_'How did the onna do this to me?' _Hiei wondered briefly as he slowly started to unwind after yelling at Kuwabara all day.

Ki smiled a little as Kishin and Seiyoku walked hand in hand across the yard and into the woods, flirting with each other. She was happy her friend had found her soul mate at long last.

"Boys! You needed in my office stat!" Koenma's voice erupted from Hiei's communicator suddenly making both Hiei and Ki scowl darkly. Together they walked up to Koenma's office equally annoyed and pissed.

Koenma looked at the group as the last one filed into the room. "The battle that could end the war has been decided to take place in three days. Mukuro and I have contacted Kiriai and set up a place for battle."

"Why only three days! Couldn't you get her to wait longer then that!" Yusuke yelled outraged, three days wasn't long enough for him to do everything he wanted or should do to say goodbye to his loved ones. "This is bull shit!"

_'Three days! I have three days left!_'_'_ Ki thought clenching her teeth together _'I have to get moving now.'_ "Three days, where will the fight be?"

"In a large clearing in the eastern makai, just south of Mukuro's border. Why- wait where the hell do you think your going!" Koenma shouted jumping up as Ki started for the door.

"I have things to do before this fight, like find my people." Ki snarled leaving the room without stopping.

"You're not going anywhere!" Koenma shouted after her, his voice buzzing in her ears as Ki broke into a hard run down the hallway. She had to get out of here. But how?

*~*~*~*~*

Hiei stared after Ki only slightly shocked with her reaction. He scowled at the detectives as they looked to him for answers. "Hn." He grunted and left the office himself, following Ki's path down the hallway.

"You won't find her here Kasui." Hiei whirled around on his heel to snap at whoever dared call him Kasui. The fire demon clenched his teeth shut before he said a word to the King of Hell. Satan.

"Why not?"

"Because she's probably found the portal I left her to go find her people." Satan said easily leaning back against the wall comfortably. "Besides I'm here to hold you to our deal Hiei." Hiei narrowed his eyes at Ki's father but said nothing. "You owe me a favor Kasui-kun."

Hiei scowled not sure how he should react to Satan's sudden appearance. "And what would you be wanting from me?"

"March your ass back into Koenma's office and tell him I'm here. And for the next three days you'll be my messenger boy between the different Hell Hound packs, myself and Koenma. I've decided on helping you fools in this fight." Satan grinned sadistically as Hiei's eyes blazed with furry. Putting a lid on his pride, Hiei marched stiff backed into Koenma's office without another word.

"Baka baby." Hiei grunted interrupting Koenma as he tried to explain to Yusuke his battle strategy. "Satan's here. He's going to speak with you, about the battle. He wants in on the fighting."

"He's here! Now!" Koenma cried out alarmed, King Enma was virtually on his death bed in the next room. Satan being here did not bode well in the mind of the young ruler.

"Yes I'm here, I would have called ahead. But I didn't know if you would be able to understand a thing I said with Seiyoku and Ki both in heat at the same time." Satan smiled pleasantly, "Shiin, enjoying your stay?"

Shiin straightened visibly, suddenly coming to full attention as Satan mentioned his name. "Yes my lord."

Satan smiled pleasantly, "Good. Now Koenma, what are your plans for fighting Kiriai?" He and Koenma launched into an hour long argument over how to set up a battle field and turn the tables in different conditions during the fighting.

"No, you can't circle around her left flank that way." Satan said patiently pointing to the rear guard they assumed Kiriai would have with her army. "The left flank of the rear would come around from behind you and pin you from both sides. Resulting in the ultimate death of all of the soldiers you sent out. No, you should send Kishin in his dragon form to burn away the left flank as Seiyoku burns the right. Then your main forces will charge the middle soldiers and over whelm them."

Koenma shook his head, "There's no guarantee that Shiin and Seiyoku can stay air born long enough to do enough damage that way. Kiriai would have surely set archers up among her forces and have demons who can fly, keep them distracted. They shouldn't go into dragon form at all."

Satan shook his head rubbing his temples, "War is about throwing the dice on the table Koenma. Your father understood that, why he never taught you, is beyond me." Satan turned to Hiei summoning a portal, "Go to Hell and find Erik, he should have assembled the Hell Hounds by now. His son can take care of things in his absence, I need him here now."

He tossed Hiei a small coin like object, "When you find him, use this to get back here. It will make things much easier for you. Tata."

Hiei grunted and took off into the portal, ignoring the howls in the air and the demon's that were suddenly on the move. _'So this is what Hell is like when preparing for war.'_ Hiei stopped ignoring the howling and found himself trying to understand them. The guttural howls would change in pitch and length. Some closer and sharper then others. Demons in the area seamed tense and never seamed to stop moving. A chorus of howling went up as screams of dying demons filled Hiei's ears. Blood filling the air.

_'The hell hounds are hunting down food before the fight.' _Hiei thought, changing direction heading for the source of the deepest howling. It took him close to an hour of nonstop running to find the ever growing pack of Hell Hounds assembled in one large plain. It was easy to find the one who was in charge simply because he was the biggest demon among them.

A second later he was tackled to the ground and pinned by a heavy body that was growling fiercely in his ears. "Who the fuck are you, little turd."

Hiei growled in response, "Get off of me before I kill you."

"Oy. Get off of him Shiriuki, obviously he has some guts if he's coming here alone. Or he has a message." Hiei glared at the speaker, scowling as purple eyes that matched the shade of lilacs with black specks in them met his without fear. "You're Jaganshi right?" Hiei grunted a yes, the demon on top of him had yet to move. "Release him Shiriuki! He probably has a message for my grandfather."

"But Seiei* we don't know if he really is here to give a message or to kill Erik." Shiriuki protested loudly.

The woman scowled at him, "God damnit and they say being a female Hell Hound gave you leverage over the men." She flipped her silver hair over her shoulder and patted Hiei down not caring in the least when she had to go through his pants. Hiei's scowl deepened as she found the dagger Satan had given in him, in the front of his pants. Practically unseen unless you undid his belts. "Look, his dagger is in Draconian, the only way he could have gotten his grimly little paws on it is if Lord Satan had given it to him.

'Grimy little paws!' the onna had a serious death wish, Hiei growled as she also took his katana from him. "Let him up, I'm sure he can walk on his own." The woman turned her back on him as she lead Hiei and his captor into the throng of Hell Hounds.

Hiei glared at all of the Hell Hounds that looked his way and narrowed his eyes as all of them were male. The only female he had seen was the one with his weapons.

"Seiei! Where did you wander off to?" The largest Hell Hound turned to Seiei a wolfish grin covering his face, "Have you found a mate yet?"

"No grandpa, I'm still living in the human world for now." Seiei said as though Hiei wasn't even there and there was no threat of war going on around her. "Shiriuki found a demon, I think it's Hiei Jaganishi and he has weapons that only Satan could have given him unless he stole them."

Erik turned to look at Hiei before snapping at Shiriuki, "Let him go! Lord Satan sent word a few days ago that he would be arriving with orders."

Hiei grunted as the Hell Hound let him go and left him with the pair. "Satan wants you to come with me to the Spirit world immediately, your son will take care of things here until you get back."

*~*~*~*~*

Ki flew low over the ground listening closely to the primal roar that vibrated through her body. After stopping for a moment before she rushed through the portal her father had given her, Ki sat down in the heart of the makai. Surrounded by demons and the old forest she let her mind go, fell into herself and reached for her dragon powers. Once she tapped into the ancient power it surged throughout her body and pulsed as she strove to find her people.

She flew for almost a day straight before coming to a stop driven by hunger and thirst. _'I'm getting closer I can feel it.' _Ki thought flying faster then she had before. Unlike the last war, everything she cared about rode on the chance that she might find her people with enough time to wake them for war.

_'Hiei, I can't tell you that I'm your soul mate when I'm about to practically commit suicide, it's just not fair to you. And you would already know my reasons.' _Ki thought nursing that thought as it haunted the back of her mind.

Movement from below her caught her attention. And it was closely followed by a deep bellowing roar. She was in the deepest part of the makai in which no modern demon lived. It was like a journey through time for her. The farther away from the modern world she went, the farther into the past she found herself. Demons below her started to look more savage and time worn then those from where she started. And the more savage they became the more at home she felt among them. Because they were the kind of demons she remembered from her past.

Pain erupted from Ki's stomach as white lights blinded her vision. She roared in pain rolling away from her attacker. Ki twisted elegantly in the air to face her attacker. Another dragon, this time creamy white was circling her, blue flames issuing from its mouth.

"I am Hakari*, protector of the race of Shape Shifters. Who are you!" Hakari demanded in a tone that challenged Ki's pride.

"I am Okai Dokuja! Queen of the Dragons, were are the rest of you!" Ki demanded shooting a small burst of flame in her opponent's direction.

Hakari roared, a sound that nearly deafened Ki. "You are lying! I will kill you for such mockery!" Ki snorted and lashed out at Hakari as he charged her with reckless strength. "The one you speak of is dead, she would not come here now even if she was alive in Hell!"

_'So they haven't been in touch with the outside world have they?'_ Ki hissed in pain as Hakari's claws nicked the sensitive skin of her wings. "I'll just have to beat you then won't I?"

Ki waited impatiently as Hakari turned in the air hoping to catch her off guard with his speed. As his neck stretched out Ki folded her wings to her sides to drop a few feet before her head shot up, fangs sinking into the throat of her enemy. White exploded in Ki's vision as Hakari's claws ripped into her wings mercilessly. Ki's teeth sank deeper into Hakari's neck folding her wings close to her body to protect them from further abuse. Her claws dug into Hakari's shoulders, close to the joints that kept his wings rotating evenly, as her back claws ripped into his belly.

Hakari' let out a strangled roar and started to plummet to the ground. Wings not able to bear the weight of both dragons were of no use to Hakari with Ki clinging to him like a dying animal determined to takes it's foe down with them. The pair of dragon's fell, tumbling, through the air, crashing into the ground with a loud 'bang!'.

Ki dislodged herself from Hakari and white shot flames issued from her mouth, burning Hakari's fresh wounds on his belly. He reacted swiftly, changing forms and launching himself at her unprotected wings recklessly. Ki changed her own form to dodge the sudden increase in speed as the new Hell Hound form of Hakari flew over her head. Glad to have donned her armor and swords before leaving the Spirit World, Ki braced herself against Hakari's next charge.

Claws scraped against Ki's armor uselessly as she used her shield to throw Hakari's heavy bulk off of her. She raised her sword protectively in front of her ready to counter attack Hakari's next move. The bulk of his wolf form made Ki slightly nervous. He was heavy and all of that bulk was fur and muscle. She had felt his strength when he crashed into her shield for a second time. Before Ki's legs gave out under the sudden increase in weight, Ki thrust her sword up into Hakari's side. He yipped in pain and jumped away from her, surprised she was able to not only block his attack, but counter attack as well in the same time span.

Ki knew dragging this battle out was a bad choice. She could feel her wings throbbing under the skin of her back, blood was coming form her forehead and was dangerously close to her eyes. Her body was battered and bruised, and she found the hint of wicked thrill in the adrenaline that pumped into her blood. Ki hadn't fought against some one like Hakari in a long time and it reminded her how she used to fight those who would not follow her. She relaxed suddenly realizing she wasn't fighting her way but the way Kiriai had told her to fight. That is what was wrong with her movements, they weren't really her own.

"That's dragon armor." Hakari growled out circling Ki warily trying to find an opening in her defense. So far he had found one that he could take full advantage of. Her speed was incredible, even with the added bulk of her armor. He narrowed his eyes as her face went slack suddenly, her demon energy levels dropping then spiking to the level of a high A-class demon.

Ki shifted her feet into a more comfortable stance, slinging the shield onto her back and drawing her second sword. The familiar weight and balance of the swords felt right in her hands. Her mind's thought process slowed as she allowed blood lust to fill it slowly bit by bit until it nearly consumed her. A twisted grin curled her mouth upwards as purple smoke started to envelop her, and Hakari.

Hakari's mind panicked as the situation slipped out of his control. He growled furiously and lunged forward teeth bared in a snarl and claws out stretched. Ki didn't even blink, she was fighting of off pure reaction to his actions. She side stepped his lunged with ease and brought her sword up in a graceful arc that cut deep into Hakari's side. As Hakari stumbled to regain his footing Ki spun around on her heel and kicked Hakari hard in the jaw sending the demon sprawling into the trees.

"It's been a long time since I've had the chance to fight like this Hakari." Ki said, advancing on him. "And thank you for teaching me why my fighting style didn't seam to work the way it used to. Now that I've fixed that problem, you should tell me were our kin is so I don't have to hurt you any further." Hakari bared his teeth in defiance even as his vision started to go black.

"I won't betray my people."

*~*~*~*~*

Seiyoku fell out of her chair suddenly, crying out in pain and shock the same instant Hiei felt searing pain scorch his back. Kishin was at his mate's side instantly, worry in his eyes as Shiin jumped to his feet to come to her other side.

"What the hell?" Shiin demanded moving away from Sieyoku as she waved the boys away from her impatiently. "What happened to you!"

"It's Ki-chan. Something's changed with her. I think she was fighting someone, maybe a worthy fighter. But then nothing." Seiyoku said, "She's changed something about herself or has reverted back into her old state of thinking because I can't hold onto my connection with her. I've been able to tell where she is and how she's feeling almost whenever I've wanted too since coming here. But no nothing."

Hiei narrowed his eyes, _'The onna's only been gone a day now, what could she have possibly done to make the baka onna react this way? I need to stay out of the baka onna's head if she feels the onna's pain like that.'_ Hiei thought, assuming the pain he had felt was from Seiyoku. Or maybe it was because of his mating with Ki. They were newly mated and it wasn't uncommon for new mates to feel the other's pain.

"Hn."

*~*~*~*~*

Hakari groaned as pain racked his body in numbing waves. Fierce enough to make him wish that death would hurry and claim him. Instead to slowly started to dull and he became more aware of his surroundings. He forced acing body into a sitting position , and looked around cautiously. Looking for the opponent that should have killed him. He couldn't find his enemy, but he did find a fire and her armor, stacked neatly at the far side of the camp, along with his own.

"Good your awake."

Hakari jumped looking to the left, Ki came into the camp dragging a smaller demon's carcass behind her. "Why haven't you killed me?"

Sky blue eyes burned into his brown ones, "Well what kind of ruler would I be if I killed off my own people, when I need their help?"

"Are you really Okibi?"

Ki rolled her eyes and started to skin the demon, refusing to acknowledge the pain that was searing her back. "What would I gain from lying to you? Yes I am Okibi Dokuja, you must not be caught up on the times. There is another war for all three worlds and this time it's my sister Kiriai. And ironically I'm fighting to stop her." Ki could feel Hakari's eyes on her, she had discarded her armor leaving what little clothing she could wear comfortably underneath. A curve hugging tank top and short shorts, were all she could wear comfortably with the armor that acted like a second skin to her.

She finished skinning the demon and cut up chunks of flesh to cook. When she was done she turned to Hakari who was examining his wrapped wounds, looking anywhere but at her.

"Why did you wrap my wounds?" Ki chuckled, this really was like a trip back in time.

"I've learned that if you really want something there are better ways to get it then simply overpowering someone. Besides how am I supposed to find everyone else if you're dead?" Hakari flushed scarlet, not only because of his embarrassment. But because he found Ki attractive and didn't want to look stupid in front of her.

Hakari watched Ki closely, taking in her curves and the seemingly effortless way she had of swaying her hips sensually as she walked. A small smiled tugged at his lips despite the pain, she had a really nice smile. Ki glanced at him from the corners of her eyes and read the pain in his eyes instantly. She grabbed what was left of her bandages and walked over to Hakari's side, producing a bowl of water out of nowhere.

"You reopened some wounds." Ki said as she kneeled next to Hakari, feather light touch ghosting over his skin as she removed the soiled bandages. The small feeling Hakari was starting to harbor for Ki vanished, leaving a sickening taste in his mouth. Ki had tilted her head to the side to get a better look at his wounds, exposing her mating mark.

"You're mated." It was blunt, cold, in a tone that put Ki's mind and body on red alert.

"Hai."

"You shouldn't be helping me." Hakari growled, trying to pull away from Ki. Her eyes narrowed and he instantly regretted it when her light touch became harsh and demanding. She squeezed his wound painfully, just enough to make him stop moving, but not enough to open it further.

"Hakari, you need to get a few things straight with me. I'm not trying to pull anything with you. I have a mate and a family, I won't hide that from you. But I will not hesitate to turn you over to them if you can't tell me what I want to know. And that is where the rest of the shape shifters are." Ki glared at him harshly, realizing that, where she had evolved and adapted to the new customs others had not. The idea of a mated female touching a unmated male without her mate's consent was not a welcome thought to some demons. "Let me reintroduce myself, titles and all. I am Okibi Dokuja, Princess of Hell, Queen of the Dragons, Shein," Ki was able to add yet another title to her name because of recent issues and it was inevitably going to happen if she was too pull together a hoard of demons to fight Kiriai. "And the first demon to successfully conquer the entire demon plain, do you understand me?"

Hakari was taken aback by her sudden forcefulness. "The elder will be able to tell if you're really Okibi or not." Ki growled irritated with her lack of answers. She pulled the bandages much tighter then needed and jumped over the fire to settle down on the other side.

"Eat what you want. We're leaving tomorrow."

Ki's eyes snapped open when Hakari groaned loudly as he stood up slowly. "What do you think you're doing?"

"Packing, you want me to show you were the rest of our kind are right?" Ki raised an eyebrow but nodded her head, silently donning her armor and weapons. Without a word she helped Hakari put on his own and put out the fire, ignoring Hakari's grumbling he could dress himself.

Hakari grudgingly lead her through the forest, slowly but keeping a steady pace that ate up the distance. Ki kept her guard up, ready to fight her way out of a trap if needed. There was no ambush and Hakari lead her silently to a small clearing in the forest. Just like the one they had stayed the night in. Silently Hakari walked into the middle of the clearing and kicked over a rock.

Ki hid her surprise under a cold mask as trees moved out of the way, ripping open a cave in the earth. Hakari turned back to look at her and motioned for her to follow.

"Come on. They're waiting."

*~*~*~*~*

"Mouken has sent over a army of vampires and Hell Hounds my Lady. He says they are all he has available and ready to fight. The rest are still under a strict training regime." Kiriai grinned as the demon finished his report, handing her the list of demons Mouken had created for her.

She scanned over the list carefully dismissing the demon with a careless wave of her hand. Many of the demons Mouken was sending over had been trained in the ring and would prove to be a good first wave off attack. Something to be considered if she wanted to take down her enemy in one swift wave.

That's how she wanted this battle to go, swift, merciless, and Koenma Mukuro dead by the end of it. Her sister would be no problem when she would tell her to attack her _friends_. A twisted smile graced Kiriai's lips at the thought of forcing her sister to kill all of her new friends. The very people that took her in and trusted her with their lives. She would even beg them to take her own life before she could take theirs. Ha! The idea made her laugh. The Reikai has made Ki soft, watching her beg for death would be something that would make Kiriai smile for centuries to come.

Seiei* - powerful

Hakari*- scale


	21. Chapter 21: War at Dawn

Chapter 21: War at Dawn

Shiin rubbed his temples pacing in his room, unsure of what to do. From what Seiyoku had told him, Ki wasn't going to tell Hiei about their bond. And Hiei as starting to pick up on her feelings. Shiin punched a wall knowing how he would feel if he was getting someone else's emotions and didn't know why. He figured Hiei was confused, but wasn't going to ask anyone here for help. Save Kurama or Ki, but she wasn't here right now anyway.

Shiin smirked as he thought of a loop hole that wouldn't get him into a lot of trouble should Ki find out what he was going to do. Be fore he could talk himself out of his decision Shiin walked quickly to Hiei's room. He knocked twice, with no answer he knocked again.

"What do you want baka?" Hiei growled, door opening just enough for Shiin to see Hiei's glowing red eyes. Shiin rolled his eyes and shoved his foot between in the door way should Hiei try to close it in his face.

"I need to talk with you about something." Shiin forced a smiled onto his face. "It's important and personal. About Ki." Hiei narrowed his eyes but seeing as how Shiin didn't look as thought he was even close to budging he let him in.

Shutting the door behind him with a snap, Hiei turned on Shiin. "What is this about?"

"You where with Ki when she was bargaining with her father right?" Hiei nodded and Shiin took a calming breath before pressing forward, "Do you remember what his conditions were for her part for the bargain? To get me to show her how to get to the bracelet?"

Hiei blinked, _'What the hell is he going on about?'_ "I know you've been feeling off around Ki, and you've been getting these weird flashes of emotions that don't fit well with what you are feeling at the time. So think a minute, what did Satan say?"

"That her heat cycle would last for two solid weeks, and she would only be able to bed her soul mate." Shiin truly smiled and waited for Hiei to realize what Hiei had said, "The onna is my soul mate!" Hiei felt a little stung, does she know? Of course she knows, she would have been the one to know about it from the start. That explains the weird emotions he saw in her eyes after she had jumped him in the woods.

"Does she know?"

Shiin nodded, "Hai, I don't think she was going to tell you about it because of the war. But you're soul mates. You can feel each other's emotions, read their minds no matter how far apart you are. Hiei if you ever forgive you're self and try to love someone, if Ki dies in this battle, you won't be able to. Because Ki is that one half of you."

_'That's why the onna wanted to know how I would feel about a soul mate who died with my knowing who she was. Or why she kept it from me.'_ Hiei realized, "She's trying to protect me from myself isn't she?" Shiin shrugged he was at a loss there, "Baka onna, she need to let more people help her and not help everyone else."

Shiin chuckled and left Hiei to his own thoughts. As soon as he closed the door behind him, pain exploded in his left ear and he found himself dragged forward by the ear down stairs. "What the hell Seiyoku!" He shouted in pain, passing a wide eyed Boton and a snickering Kishin on the stairs.

"You told Hiei he was Ki's soul mate!" Seiyoku snapped, tugging harder, making the taller demon stood even lower in attempt to avoid hurting himself even more. "Why?"

"Because he deserves to know and he's been feeling what she's been feeling! He deserves to know why!" Shiin wailed, oddly resembling a over grown four year old being scolded by his mother. "Come on let me go! Please!"

Seiyoku gave one last hard tug on Shiin's ear before letting him loose. He sat cross legged on the floor rubbing his abused ear looking pathetic. "He should have figured out by himself, or Ki should have told him. You had no right Shiin."

"She wasn't going to tell him anytime soon anyway. Besides, knowing this will make him think about her on the battle field. It might even save her life, because kami knows she'll be focussed on Kiriai and him the most. The distraction could be fatal, I should know that better then anyone here. Don't sever you attention between your opponent and someone else." Seiyoku's eyes softened as Shiin's voice grew quiet, rubbing a ghost pain in his chest at the thought of his death.

Seiyoku sighed heavily, "You are truly lucky that I am a true softy." Shiin only grinned in response.

*~*~*~*~*

Ki's eyes widened as Hakari lead her into the underground city, dragons were everywhere. Carved into the walls, a building was made in the shape of a dragon, some demons lounged in their dragon forms to keep others away so they could have time to themselves. Looking up as they descended revealed at least fifteen different passages that branched out into other unseen corridors in the city.

"Those lead out to the different clans. This is just the main hall of sorts. For those who don't really care what clan they're from and will talk to everyone else." Hakari said answering Ki's unasked question.

"Who is this Elder you've mentioned?" Ki asked avoiding the stares she was receiving from the demons that didn't recognize her. "Everyone seams to know each other here too."

"That's because they pretty much do. Or can at least say they've seen them around before." Hakari muttered, "Although fights break out regularly, people go stir crazy all the time around here. And the Elder is my Father, he was around when you where. Maybe you know him." Ki raised an eyebrow, curiosity spiking. "Sukobi* Bakeru."

_'That moron? Oh this will be fun.'_ "I know you father." Ki said smiling a little, this could either be easier then she thought, or harder.

"Hey Hakari, what the hell are you thinking? You father's looking for you. You didn't report in last night and just winked out of anyone's senses. Did you fly out of our range again!" A shorter demon demanded catching sight of Hakari, "Now look at you, you're injured and you're bringing a stranger in here." He rounded on Ki, "Who are you anyway?"

"Okibi Dokuja." Ki inclined her head towards the shorter demon.

The demon laughed loudly, "Oh kami, that's rich. Though I'd say you do look the part. Better then any other demon I've seen around here. Besides, you're power level doesn't even match the REAL Okibi's. Hakari you should take her to see you father before I blow my ulcer or something." The demon left, still laughing loudly.

Hakari grunted watching the demon leave, and motioned for Okibi to follow him into the heart of the city. Ki was surprised with how evolved the shape shifters had become considering their isolation from the world for thousands of years. She only hoped that their isolation didn't make them weak. He lead her into the building at the very heart of the city and climbed the stairs to the last floor.

"Hakari! Thank kami you're back relatively unharmed!" Hakari winced as his father pulled him into a strong hug that could have broken his ribs.

"Father, you need to meat someone." Hakari groaned, struggling out of his father's grip.

"Sukobi, looks like you finally got laid." Ki commented, leaning against a wall comfortably. Sukobi matched his sister in appearance, but his forest green hair had paled, and was starting to whiten at the temples. Making Sukobi look more mature and older then he actually was. His chocolate brown eyes betrayed him as he turned to Ki in surprise with her lack of formality.

They widened in disbelief and surprise as he recognized her, "I hope to god I'm not dreaming. Okibi Dokuja! You old hag you're supposed to be dead!" Ki grimaced, old hag?

"Watch who you're calling old. You're older then me." Ki pointed out, allowing the youkai to hug her warmly. "Seiyoku would be teasing you right now, you've got gray hairs."

"She's alive too? I saw her get taken away myself by Enma, and then her demonic energy and presence vanished. I thought she was dead." Sukobi said, pushing open the door to his office and letting both Hakari and Ki in. "Is Shiin still alive too?"

"No he's dead, but still hanging around, a favor from my father. But I didn't come here to catch up." Ki said sitting her self down in one of the chairs comfortably.

"You never did." Sukobi muttered, sitting across from her, equally relaxed and comfortable. "So what the hell are you here for now onna? What have you done now?" Ki frowned at him, she didn't only come to him for help, well not all the time anyway.

"Not what I've done per say. Ironically enough, I have a younger sister now, who is trying to take over all three worlds. This time though, I want to stop her." Ki rubbed her lightly scarred wrist. "War must run in my family or something."

"No doubt coming from the spawn of Satan." Sukobi muttered, "Let me see something, take off your armor and let me see your back." Ki complied, standing and tossing her armor to the side. She pulled up the back of her tank and pulled her hair around front. Sukobi traced a spiraling pattern on her back lightly with his fingers. "How long have your powers been suppressed. Don't try lying to me, I know what this band is, and you're just plain weaker then before."

"A couple of months now. Since I woke up to find myself in the presence of my bitch of a sister. The damn band lets her control me physically." Ki growled, angered by the thought, "One command and my body betrays me and does what she says. Even shifting."

"Has you're back been hurting you?"

"A little, on and off."

"How long until you leave for battle?"

"A day or two, why?" Ki was growing curious, where was this going? Sukobi grinned at her.

"I'm assuming you've come to claim you're title as Queen and take the shifters into war. You need them to help you win, to fight." Sukobi sat down, motioning for Ki to do the same. "Let me rephrase that, you need your people to help you fight this war. So you're finally going to step up to the plate and take responsibility for your people. You're freeing the Makai and willingly putting yourself in chains." Ki frowned slightly, she had never thought of it that way before. "But I know you, not as well as Shiin or my sister, but I can safely say that you feel like you need to repay for your 'sins'. You're not doing this for selfish reasons."

"I'm not so sure about that anymore." Ki murmured softly, damn empath, "At first that was my reasoning. Taking down Kiriai and clearing my slate the hard way. But now things have changed. It's becoming more and more personally driven. I've been using my sins as an excuse, but what I really want is Kiriai dead and to get out of this alive. Damn to what happens to everything else."

"Something more to that I'm sure." Sukobi said waving his hand carelessly. "I won't push you for those answers but you've given me an excuse to push the Shape Shifters out into the open. There are several clan leaders that refuse to expose themselves. The shape shifters are becoming a race of cowards and I'll be damned if I let that happen without trying to stop it. I want to get them into the world again, reestablish themselves."

"Where is this going?" Ki asked trying to stay on topic.

"I'm going to help you. You can take our people off to war. Give them a strong footing and political power. I know you can do this, you've done the same with less. So I'm going to help you the only way I know how to right now. I can take off that band suppressing your powers. And tell you about that dragon on you're back." Ki's eyes widened and she opened her mouth to demand an explanation when he put up a hand to silence her. "You have a dragon tattoo on your back. Well half of one anyway. I think that when we take off that band, the dragon will be fully formed on your back and will let you access the full powers of a shape shifter. Turning into people."

Sukobi smiled, eyes gleaming, "Come on let's see what happens when we take off that band of yours."

Ki followed Sukobi out of the room speechless. Outside were several dragon demons that held themselves as though they were better then everyone else and made sure they knew it.

"Sukobi, we demand to know who this Okibi Dokuja is!" One of them said loudly, stepping boldly up to Sukobi. "We both know that she is dead, but someone is walking around here claiming to be her. I want this to stop, my demons are getting ready to fight!"

"It's not my fault you can't control your clan better." Sukobi said calmly, "And Okibi is right here." He gestured to Ki, watching with a small smile as she stared unimpressed at the clan leaders with cold indifference. "And we are going to war as soon as possible so have you're people armor up and get ready to leave right away. It's time the Queen took over and we let the rest of the world know we are still alive."

One of the clan leaders looked from Okibi to Sukobi and nodded, pushing to the front of the crowd and bowing his head low to Okibi, "It's good to see that you're real my Lady. Is there anything specific you want us to do to prepare for the war?"

Ki felt a small smile pull at her lips, "No, just tell you clan that we march into battle. It takes place within two days. Make sure you are prepared." The demon nodded and started down the hallway to tell his clan what was needed of them when Ki called him back, "What's your name?"

"Roiyaru*,"

Ki nodded, "I'll remember that." She let him leave this time without stopping him.

"I want proof that you're the real Okibi Dokuja, there have been too many imposters in the past." One of the demons demanded, he glared at Ki with open distrust and wariness.

"What do I need to prove to you?" Ki asked stepping forward, "If all of the dragon demons have been kept down here. And no one recognizes me it's because no one has seen me before. And that's because I believed all of you cowards, have been cowering away down here instead of taking up your birthright and govern the Makai through you're brute strength." Ki's eyes flashed with disgust as she looked into the eyes of the demons before her. Those that turned their heads away she marked as cowards. Those who didn't made her good list. "Do I need to hold you hand and teach you how to fight the real way a Shape Shifter does? Teach you courage, or should I just leave you alone and have you learn it the hard way. On the battle field?"

A few demons cringed at the thought, Sukobi shook his head. Vaguely wondering how he had let such weak demons come to be clan leaders. "Okibi, we need to remove that band of yours. Beat them afterwards as a way to test your strength again." Sukobi said pulling her away from the cowering demons. "I will have a word with the rest of you in the council room in an hour."

Sukobi dismissed the leaders without another glance and lead Okibi down the hallway Roiyaru had taken. Hakari ignored the demons that were left bickering the hallway and ran after his father. Sukobi lead Ki down several flights of stairs, taking her into the basement of the building. She was still fuming with anger, how could her people have become such weak cowards. That was the first thing she was going to change. Maybe the second, after the fist. The people needed to follow someone they trusted first.

Ki raised an eye brow as Sukobi gestured to a chair in the middle of the room. The back had been removed, but there were still arms on the chair, bindings on them to keep the person in them still. She faced Sukobi with an eyebrow raised.

"The bindings are to keep you still, and Hakari and I relatively safer as we remove the band. It's going to hurt more then the one on your wrist so you won't be able to control your reactions as well. And we're going to need to put you under so you won't feel as much pain." Ki nodded, she didn't want this to take any longer then necessary, and if they had to drug her. Well she trusted Sukobi enough to know what he was doing anyway.

"Fine." She sat still backed in the chair, as Sukobi strapped her in as tightly as he could, double checking the knots as Hakari got the drugs.

"This is going to hurt like a bitch Okibi." Sukobi muttered pulling up her tank top just enough to get to the band. Ki grunted in response eyeing the needle Hakari was carrying over with distaste. "Alright, hold on then." Sukobi took the needle from Hakari and pierced Ki in the back of the neck with it. The only indication that the drug was working was the lack of response Sukobi was getting as he dug a knife between skin and metal.

Only when he managed to cut open the band did Ki start to feel the pain. Her eyes widened as Hakari and Sukobi each, with a knife in hand, started pulling at the metal ruthlessly. She clenched and unclenched her fists repeatedly as stars burst before her eyes. Time passed in an endless stream that was filled with pain. Seemingly with no end in sight. A hoarse cry ripped form Ki's throat as Sukobi reached her spine, slowly cutting the band away from the skin instead of just pulling.

"Dear god, there's a second band under the first!" Sukobi grunted, poking the metal that was shining through the blood. "Hakari double back around to her side and open the second band as well. We need to take each of them off at the same time. Otherwise she'll loose too much blood." Sukobi ordered carefully removing the band as Ki started to thrash in her seat.

"Hai father."

Ki screamed, thrashing in her seat. Flinching away from the knives that were picking at her skin. At that moment she knew nothing but pain and the smell of blood. Her blood. Primal instincts to survive boiled to the surface as she thrust her whole body forward, trying to get away from the pain at her back. Sukobi winced as Ki screamed in pain again. Thrusting forward had pulled the band off of her body several inches at once. The very idea of that happening him made Sukobi shudder.

He grabbed the second band and had Hakari hold Ki as still as possible as he pulled away the second band at her spine. By the end of that job he and Hakari were covered in Ki's blood. Hakari was feeling nauseated but continued to do his job, pulling at the metal that seamed to have a will of it's own. As the band slowly came off, Ki's power rose accordingly. The rate it was growing was scaring him, but it also relieved him. The power was turning back onto Ki and was working to heal her wounds. Hakari met his father's gave and continued to work without stopping. No matter how much he knew his muscles would hurt after this, Ki was hurting a hell of a lot more right now.

"Shit!" Hakari swore loudly as pain shocked him. He had grown careless as he moved across Ki's front to meet his father at her side. Her fangs dug deep into his forearm in retaliation to being put through so much pain.

"Hold on a second Hakari." Sukobi grunted, hacking away at the strips of metal that was so close to coming off for good.

Ki clamped her mouth shut harder, mindless to what she was really doing. All she knew was that the blood filling her mouth belonged to one of her tormentors, for the pain had lessened when she bit him. "Okbi let him go, we're trying to help you!" Sukobi voice sounded distant to her, but it barely made sense to her pain muddled mind.

_'How is this helping me? Wait the bands, they're taking off the bands.'_ Ki thought slowly, realizing what he was talking about vaguely. Slowly as the pain numbed she released her captive. Almost as soon as she did the pain started again, worse then before.

Now screaming ceased to stop as Hakari and Sukobi worked desperately to pull of the rest of the bands. Twice they had been interrupted by demons coming to see the cause of the screaming that managed to be heard even outside of the building. Twice their progress had been slowed causing Hakari to fetch more drugs to try to soothe Ki to the point were she was thrashing as bad. Sukobi stared at Ki sadly, she hadn't passed out once from the pain yet, meaning she was willing to endure it to get the bloody metal off at all costs. He continued to pull the bands away, wincing as he did so. He couldn't let Hakari stop to bandage his arm. Not when they were so close to finishing.

"I'll be fine father." Hakari grunted reading the worry in his father's eyes, "She's feeling a lot more pain then I am. This wouldn't even compare, let's finish this so she can have some relief." Sukobi smiled at his son, that was more then he had ever expected from his son.

"Alright then." Sukobi nodded, and with a final grunt pulled off the first band. He fought the urge to stop and examine it, instead tossed it to the side as he worked to remove the second band.

"Sukobi what the hell are you doing down- dear god!" Sukobi groaned as a clan leader stormed into the room. Jakuteki* froze in the doorway, unable to completely grasp the seen before him. Hakari and Sukobi were pulling at metal bands around the woman who claimed to be Okibi's skin. She was screaming in pain, blood issuing from her sides and back. If she wasn't a shape shifter, the blood loss would have killed her by now.

Jakuteki wasn't stupid, he recognized the metal that they were pulling form the woman's skin. He power's were being suppressed and they were working to release them. He could also feel the dramatic rise in her powers, nearly doubled form only two hours ago. Coming out of shock Jakuteki closed the door behind him and crossed the room in long strides to stand by Sukobi.

"How can I help?" He asked hoarsely, the power coming from Ki was as old and as primal as Sukobi's when he was angered. The small doubt that was plaguing his mind slowly left. "Sukobi, how can I help?" Sukobi glanced at him from the corners of his eyes.

"Take over for Hakari, she bit him pretty deeply. He hasn't had a chance to clean or dress the wound." Jakuteki nodded and moved to stand next to the sweating Hakari nervously. Alright Hakari pass it off to Jakuteki and go clean your wound." Sukobi ordered. Hakari frowned, he didn't want to leave when they were so close to finishing to job. But his arm was going numb and he couldn't complain.

"Now pull the metal away carefully, use the knife to cut it away when it gets stuck or when you're pulling over a organ." Sukobi ordered, shouting over Ki's screaming. Jakuteki nodded grimly, and started to work quickly and as efficiently as possible.

It wasn't long before he found himself covered in blood and sweating from the exertion. To others it might look easy but he was using muscles he didn't even know he had. Jakuteki was trying to still Ki, avoid letting her pull the band off herself by thrashing, and picked away at the metal relentlessly. The combination was certainly a workout and had him breathing hard within minutes.

Hakari returned to the effort determined to see it through and helped by holding Ki as still as he could, putting a thick end of a broom handle in her mouth as she tried to bite Jakuteki again. Sukobi found himself chuckling at the sight and finished removing the bands with Jakuteki after ten more minutes. He grinned in victory and tossed Jakuteki a roll of antiseptic and bandages.

"Bowl of water behind you. We should clean the wounds while we can and bandage her up." Hakari said pointing to the bowl not far behind Jakuteki. They worked in silence as Ki's thrashing slowly stopped and her screaming quieting to dull whimpers of pain. After they finished bandaging her, Ki came to a complete stand still, silence filling the room.

"I think she's finally passed out." Hakari muttered, joining his father in undoing the bindings that held Ki down. He was surprised that none of them had broken, but many of them were just another strong pull from breaking. "Finished just in time."

Sukobi nodded wearily, "Yes, Jakuteki, what was it you came down here for in the first place?"

"We waited for you for two hours before I was elected to come and find you." Jakuteki panted, regaining his breath quickly. "They are getting restless up there, but won't leave because that's were you ordered them to be. Half of the city is surrounding the building as well. They could hear her screaming outside too."

Sukobi nodded in understanding, "Did you understand that Okibi, you have a real strong set of lungs there."

He grinned as Hakari and Jekuteki jumped in surprise, "Urusai Sukobi." Her voice was extremely hoarse but easy to hear. "But thanks." She stopped to left her head weakly to see the bandage on Hakari's arm. "Gomen. I didn't mean to Hakari."

Hakari nodded in understanding, "I get it. No need to apologize."

"But your side wound, did you reopen it?" Ki pressed, determined to make sure Hakari wasn't going to suffer anymore then she had because he helped her regain some of her old strength back.

"Come on Okibi, it's time to go see the other clan leaders and knock some sense into them." Sukobi said picking her up carefully, ignoring the warning growl to put her down. "I'm not letting you walk so soon after you've lost so much blood. Be happy I'm not putting you to sleep and taking care of everything else myself.

Ki sighed heavily giving in. Not that she could fight it anyway.

*~*~*~*~*

Hiei shook as sweat poured off of his body. He laid helplessly on his bed. Pain rocking his body in waves They finally started to decrease after two hours of endless torture. Immediately he knew were the pain was coming from, Ki's mind. He had tried to find her, and instead found the soul mate link. He used that to find Ki and was hit by wave after wave of pain. Her screams filling his head as though he was right next to her. Hiei felt furry rise up within in him at the thought of Ki being put through so much pain, but was helpless to do anything about it. But wonder what was causing her that much pain in the first place.

With a low groan he rolled off of the bed and walked into the shower, Koenma was going to have him do some ridiculous chore soon to prepare for the war. Yusuke and Kuwabara were already in the ningenkai saying good byes to their families if they died on the field of battle. Kishin and Seiyoku were all over each other, everywhere not caring who saw them. Shiin was running back and forth from Hell to Koenma's office relating news from Satan. And Eric, the chief Hell Hound was constantly bickering with Koenma with the positioning of his packs.

To top it off, Enma had finally scum bugged to the sickness that he had been fighting for at least six months now. Koenma was new King of the Spirit World and was stressing out.

Hiei rested his forehead against the cool tile of the shower and let the water pelt him as he slowly relaxed, impatiently waiting for Ki to return so he could confront her about the soul mate thing.

"Hiei! Koenma wants to talk to you!" Hiei grimaced as Boton's loud voice reached him in the shower.

"Fine, go away reaper." Hiei snarled stepping out of the shower, dressing at his own pace. He opened the bathroom door to glare murderously at Boton who noticed the lines of pain around his eyes and kept her mouth shut rather then question it.

The fire demon stalked into Koenma's office to find Yusuke and Eric in a glaring contest and Koenma rubbing his temples looking tired. Suddenly older then he should have looked as a baby.

"Hiei, please come over here and look at the battle plans. I want your opinion on them." Hiei grunted resisting the urge to make a smart comment. The baby had actually been polite and was asking for his opinion. That was new.

Hiei glanced over the different platoons and diagrams, troop placements and the key points in the formations. Hiei was inwardly impressed, many of these had very small weaknesses that were scattered throughout the armies, and covered with reinforcements, including back up plans should a weakness be exploited. "Very efficient. But many of these plans include the onna flying over the enemy and reeking havoc. She's not here, and there is always a possibility of her showing up late."

"That's what I said!" Yusuke said, breaking his glaring contest with Eric and coming to stand next to Hiei. "Maybe not in so many words, but Ki could be ambushed on her way here and stalled. Maybe even taken prisoner if she's wounded from what ever kind of mission she's run off on." Yusuke pointed to different points on the diagrams. "These are all points that become vulnerable if Ki doesn't make it in time. Three of those are key weaknesses that Kiriai will take advantage of."

"So how should I strengthen them?" Koenma asked, looking more awake as Hiei grabbed one of the model figurines Koenma had on his desk.

"There are plenty of young hell hounds that haven't seen much fighting." Hiei answered, looking to Eric in case he had any objections. Instead the hell hound nodded at him and motioned for him to keep going. He had his approval so far. "They can cover these weak spots. Eric will need to make sure they have it drilled into their head though that they can't run into the font lines in attempt to prove themselves."

"But they are young, no more then eight or nine!" Koenma said alarmed at the thought.

Hiei raised his hand in patience as Yusuke looked at him concerned as well. "They have lived this long in hell, they can fight along side seasoned troops and protect them. Besides they look much older then they really are. So Kiriai will not be able to tell that they are on a weak point."

Eric nodded, "I like that. Many of them have seen very little fighting, but each of them has a mother that is cursing my name right now for taking their babies away. They are old enough to fight and look the part of a seasoned warrior." Eric said, "And more of them will live that way. Out of the direct line of fighting."

"I don't like it, they are so young. But if you have that much confidence in them I will redo the diagrams and move the young ones there." Koenma said rubbing his temples again.

Without warning a portal opened in Koenma's office making him jump. Mukuro stepped out of it looking thoroughly irritated. "Yomi continues to refuse to take part in this war and Raizen doesn't care. His stomach is his main concern."

"Well he's starving himself to death, so yeah his stomach is going to be the first thing on his mind." Yusuke grunted in mild defense of his ancestor. Mukuro gave him a dirty look before turning to Koenma.

"How are your battle plans coming along?"

"Hiei and Yusuke have pointed out flaws in my plans and have come up with ways to fix them. I need to redo them but they are done otherwise. I'll see to it that you get a copy of them." Koenma said, busily scribbling away at a new design. "There have been reports of Kiriai's forces heading for the battle field early, she's probably going to do what ever she can to get a better lay of the land and set traps. I think you should also send out troops to do the same, maybe chase hers off of the land before she can set anything rather fatal."

Mukuro nodded, "I have men heading there right now actually. Where is Okibi Dokuja? I cannot feel her presence here. Is she with her father?"

Hiei narrowed his eyes, why did Mukuro care about Ki's whereabouts? "Unfortunately I don't know where she is. She took off the instant I told her that we had three days until battle. This is the second day she's been gone. If she's not back by tomorrow night, we are going to have some problems."

*~*~*~*~*

Kiriai gasped for breath, clutching her middle, her lieutenants surrounding her worried. Irritated she pushed them away, "I need some air."

"My lady are you okay?" One asked nervously, stepping to the side to open a window for her.

"Fine, fine." Kiriai narrowed her eyes looking out of the window. Okibi was up to something. She had felt the band being removed, but it still felt like it was there. Maybe the second band hadn't been removed. It should be close enough to binding with the first so that they can never be removed. But then again Kiriai new in her heart that Okibi would stop at nothing to kill her.

_'But the question is, is she desperate enough to wound herself that severely just for a chance to kill me. When we're almost upon the eve of battle, no less. A time when she should be resting or training carefully with Shiin.' _Kiriai thought, mind turning as she tried to find a suitable answer to the riddle that was her sister.

"My Lady."

Kiriai turned back to her lieutenants, almost done briefing them before pain had shocked her system. The alert that something was wrong with the bands cutting off Okibi's powers. "You have your orders. Go carry them out and get the armies ready for battle, we march at dawn." She barked, impatient to be alone with her thoughts. They nearly ran out of the room one by one, sensing the danger in her tone.

Did her father have something to do with this? No, he was in hell, Okibi was in the spirit world with Koenma's dogs. Kiriai narrowed her eyes thoughtfully. One of those dogs was her sister's soul mate wasn't he? She would die if Kiriai got her hands on him. The thought made a small smiled creep onto Kiriai's face. Perhaps she could use her spy to find out who. Then the hell hounds could target and overwhelm him. That would make her dear older sister crack. She would surrender then without hesitation.

But the problem was, how to get her spy into the Reikai so he can find out who Okibi's soul mate was.

*~*~*~*~*

"Well this is bloody embarrassing." Ki growled as Sukobi carried her up flights of stairs. All of them were covered in her blood, and made quite a scene as they passed many demons on the way. "Let me walk damn you."

"No," Sukobi said easily, "Not chancing it, you've lost a lot of blood within the past few hours and I don't want you to do anything that might risk your health even further."

"You're such an irritating softie you know that?" Ki stated crossing her arms with a little difficulty.

"We are going to cause an uproar when we get to the council room." Jakuteki mumbled, seeing the door down the hallway. Dread filled him at the reactions of the other clan leaders. This was not going to be pretty.

"Oh well." Hakari said, opening the door for his father and Okibi to go through. The chatter in the room died almost immediately, as Sukobi walked into the room with a pale Ki and set her in his chair.

"What is the meaning of this! You've kept us waiting for hours and now you come covered in blood!"

Sukobi raised a hand, waiting for Jakuteki and Hakari to take their seats, "I was in the middle of important business. When I found out how much time had passed, I finished as soon as possible and came straight here. No time to change and get cleaned up you see." Several clan leaders nodded, excepting the answer at once. Others looked doubtful but let him continue. "We are going to enter a war gentlemen. We are going to establish ourselves in the new makai. And we are going to follow our Queen because she will has shown us the way."

"We cannot expose ourselves to the makai!" The objection went up immediately. "It is too dangerous, especially if they are in a war. How can you even think of trying to lead us into that! And our Queen is long dead." Glares where shot at Ki who ignored them easily, more concerned with Hakari's growing paleness.

"Our Queen has come back to us you pathetic worm." Sukobi hissed dangerously, "I know a friend when I see one. Even one as old as me. There is no mistaking the age and power of her demonic energy. I know you can feel her powers have more then doubled. That's because Hakari and I just spent the last few hours removing the bands that were suppressing them. With the help of Jakuteki. By tomorrow she will be in shape to fight any of you that want to challenge her for the title as Queen or King of the dragon demons. But let me tell you that you will not even come close to the powers that she is still discovering herself."

No demon dared to meet Sukobi's furious gaze. They avoided it, or simply averted their gave to Ki who looked bored at the head of the table. "Why are you scared to let the rest of the demons in the makai know you're alive?" Ki asked without even looking at the demons she was addressing. Her gaze fixed on Hakari's now sweating form.

"Because they will wipe us out! There is no doubt, that they more then out number, us now." Ki finally moved her gaze away from Hakari to the demon that spoke up.

"You're weak, pathetic. I can't believe how far this race has fallen. It disgusts me." Ki rose slowly, pale and wobbly she may be, she toward over the sitting demons and gave them a death glare that would make Hiei proud. "I know why you fled down here in the first place, for that was my own fault. But there were few of you left. Now thousands of years later there are more Shape Shifters then there was before. But there is only one that was there at the beginning. Sukobi, brother to the only demon I consider to be family, is the only demon I see that is as old as me. Can I assume that one by one the others got restless and left?"

A few demons nodded, scared out of their minds. Other's, those who had matched her gaze were listening intently to what she had to say. They had come to believe that she really was who she claimed to be. And listening to her was only reassuring them that they were not wrong.

"It's against our nature to stay cooped up over long periods of time. They first stayed because it was their job to look after the new hatchlings, make sure they knew the laws and the customs. To make sure that the race of shape shifters would indeed live on. As soon as they were convinced of that, they answered the call their bodies were sending them. They left to find their freedom and space. And slowly over the generations you must have evolved to be able to tolerate being crammed together like this. It makes me wonder if that was a good or a bad thing. Because it seams that as you evolved you also lost the true meaning of being a dragon demon. Does anyone know what that is anymore?"

One demon looked nervous, but he also held strong belief in his eyes. He spoke up, voice strong, "We are the best demon of all demon kind, we're the strongest, fastest, the most lethal demon race. It was once our job to keep other demons in check, make sure they don't over populate the land we had available. Keep the demon world in relative harmony. We fought without care for others because we didn't need one."

Ki felt her heart swell, maybe all was not lost on these demons, "Close but not quite. We are the very symbol of demon kind. In the human world, dragons are the major symbol that they have come to think of. There is nothing about lizard, or snake, or some other kind pathetic demon. No the dragon rises above all else. And you have let your selves forget. Not even the Spirit World can forget the shape shifters." She hardened her glare and focussed it on those who still doubted her, "Yet you hide away underground, isolated from everything. You cower away from the idea of showing your selves to the rest of demon kind."

"Lies!" One demon stood up, shaking and pale. Eyes frightened as they flicked from face to face, "We do not cower, we simply cannot go up to the surface. Other demons will kill us! They no longer hold any kind of respect or fear for us. It has been too long."

"That is being a coward! Had you even gone up to the surface more then once you would know that you are virtually back in the past! This area of the makai has been untouched by time!" Ki snarled viciously, "There are scarcely any demons above you! You're hunting parties have seen to that. I assume though that you don't even bother to ask what kind of demons they kind up there do you!" She slammed her fist on the table, "We are going to war and I will show you that demons still fear us to this day."

Sukobi smiled, glad Ki was still the twisted talker she was before. Although she was unsteady on her feat and as pale as a ghost, she had the room in silence. Her ability to captivate others keeping them rooted in their seats.

"The first thing we will do is retake Koumajatsu, kill the demons there and rest for the night. Younger demons will start flying back and forth from here to Koumajatsu, bringing back everything you will need to start a new life on the surface. The demons that can fight, will fight. We will fly to the field of battle and take it by storm. No one will ever forget the rise of the dragon demons. No one."

Demons nodded in agreement, several actually looking eager. Ki nodded and dismissed them, with orders to make sure they have any demon that can fight, armored up and ready to go in the morning. As soon as the last demon left Ki sank back into her chair exhausted.

"Been a long time since I've needed to convince anyone of anything on such a large scale. They aren't as stubborn as the old clean leaders, thank Kami. We would be here for hours if they were."

"I think they were more scared of you then anything else." Sukobi laughed, "Jakuteki knew you were Queen and would have followed you but I swear he looked as though he was going to shit himself."

Ki smiled grimly and turned to Hakari again. He was as pale as his snow white hair, dark eyes startlingly contrasting with his complexion. He was shaking and sweating. Ki felt alarmed, he said he was okay! "Hakari!"

She put her hand over his forehead, he was burning up, hotter then even a fire demon on a good day. Sukobi swore behind her and vaulted over the table to reach his son. "What the hell is wrong with him!"

"High fever, sweating, how old is he Sukobi. It happened too fast for it to be any kind of sickness I can think of." Ki demanded checking his pulse, "Fast pulse rate too, SUKOBI how old is he?"

Sukobi was turning pale himself, "Going to be one fifty in a few days." Ki sighed, relief washing over her.

"You said he didn't get the chance to know his mother right?" Ki asked, letting Sukobi pick up his son as they headed for Hakari's room. Sukobi nodded wordlessly. "This is normal for his age then. Without his mother's influence his body is unsure of what growth pattern to take." Ki explained calmly as Sukobi pulled the covers over his son. Ki sat next to his bed and put a hand over Hakari's forehead, "He's reaching the maturity stage in the dragon's development. He's already large for his age, normally the size of the mother's dragon form would help him balance out how much larger he's going to get. And this wouldn't happen. But seeing as how that didn't happen something else is going to influence him."

Sukobi put a hand on Ki's shoulder, "How long will this last?"

Ki shook her head, "Hard to say, it varies from demon to demon. But I can tell you this, you cannot try to influence the change anymore then you already have by raising him. There have been dragons whose fathers continued to influence, hoping it would stop the process. They never stopped growing. Eventually others of his kind turned on him because he was eating more then was available for everyone to live peacefully."

"Can you influence him then?"

Ki's eyes widened and she turned to stare at Sukobi in shock. "You want me to influence him. What, I can't he's your son, you shouldn't have me influence him."

"Can you do it."

"Hai."

"Then please do it. I can see that he's in pain, and you are his aunt. You're practically Seiyoku's sister and mine. That makes you family to both of us. I wouldn't be asking you if I didn't want you to do it." Sukobi said, face grave with determination. "Please Okibi, I'm begging you."

Ki stared at Sukobi for a long moment before nodding, "I will as a thanks to the both of you for freeing me from some of Kiriai's bonds." Ki faced Hakari's pale form again and put a hand over his heart and forehead. Slowly Ki pushed her ki into Hakari, careful not to let it stick to anything or go spread out through his body.

Keeping it centered in his chest and head she waited for his own ki to recognize hers as foreign or as his mothers. Carefully she let her ki be pulled along by Hakari's. His was energy trying to heal him, and it took Ki's as the solution to what was hurting Hakari. The unorthodox healing method lead Ki straight to the center of the problem.

"Here we go." Ki breathed lightly before pushing her ki against the warring influences within Hakari. She scowled feeling more then seeing the many different forces. It was no wonder Hakari had become so sick before his birthday. So many demons around him pushed their influences on him without meaning to. And they were all fighting for dominance within Hakari.

Ki pushed through them and surrounded the problem. She let her Ki expand, pushing out the intruders and overwhelming them. When they were gone Hakari's ki took a little bit of hers and left it's self to it's own devices. Ki smiled to herself and withdrew before she could cause any lasting damages.

"He's going to be fine Sukobi, there were so many other things trying to influence him early that it was no wonder he got so sick so fast." Ki said brushing hair out of Hakari's face. "I can't tell you how I influenced him, but I did and his ki seamed to welcome mine over everything else."

"He knows you're a friend Okibi." Sukobi said softly, relieved that his son was going to be okay. He could already see the color coming back to Hakari's face. "Here you can stay in my room tonight, you need rest so you can be in fighting shape tomorrow."

"We both need baths first." Ki said wrinkling her nose at the smell of their body odors. Sukobi chuckled and lead her back to his room his heart lighter then it had been in a long time.

Sukobi* - sex maniac

Roiyaru* - loyal

Jakuteki* - weak enemy

**Okay lots of info in this chapter I know but I've been working on this for nearly six to seven hours straight, no wonder my head hurts so much... anyway if you need to re-read it I'm sorry but yeah. Thank you people that are reviewing on a normal basis that is really encouraging and not that I don't want your opinions (Let me assure you that I love the support) I also want more people to review to so I can write an ending that everyone will like and or love. **

**Only a few maybe two or three chapters left folks. So feedback will be practically worshiped on my end. **


	22. Chapter 22: Admitting the Truth

Chapter 22: Admitting the Truth

"Damn I'm still sore." Ki grumbled, stretching after a very quick fight with three of the clan leader's that doubted her. Before the fight they had put their positions on the line. Now that they have lost, Ki was the new leader of three different clans. Sukobi chuckled from behind her.

"Your new clans are eagerly waiting for your orders." He said patting her on the shoulder, "So the medicines working then? No pain other then the soreness?" Ki nodded and looked over the heads of the clan leaders that have come to respect her and pledge her as their Queen. She didn't want them to do it, but Sukobi had told her that it was the only way to truly bind them to her. And their clans would believe it for themselves if they saw it happen.

Ki scoffed, "I already gave them my orders and they are ready to go. But right now what's more important is how Hakari's going to react when he finds out I influenced his growing."

"I'm fine with it." Ki blinked as Hakari popped up next to her without warning. "Father already told me what you did and I thank you. Besides, you are already family to both of us." Hakari pointed to his father smiling. A small smile pulled at the corners of Ki's lips.

"That's really touching, but unfortunately neither of you can try to reduce me to a state of tears. We are going to war." Ki crossed her arms and turned away from the pair. Missing the look shared between father and son. "Roiyaru, are we ready to move out?"

Ki had not lied to the demon when she said she would not forget his name. Roiyaru was one of her first choices when it came to picking her generals for war. And a top candidate for second in command. "Hai, we are ready to leave when you are." Ki nodded and shifted into her dragon form. Feeling no need for wards she simply took off into the air, quickly followed by Sukobi, Hakari, Roiyaru and her demon army.

"We fly far and fast, let's go." Ki growled, setting a neck break pace that would have made Shiin proud. Within six hours of flying and few breaks Ki could see Koumajatsu.

"Ki, the army is still flying in quickly. But they are tired, we cannot attack right away." Sukobi said examining the castle with interest. "You stayed in there for how long?"

"A long time, it's my home and kingdom. Well it's rightfully mine. And soon it will belong to the entire Shape Shifter race." Ki said turning to him, "We can wait for the others. They have an hour to rest before we begin. Some of the more alert guards will have seen us fly in. But they are sure to be touchy with Kiriai gone. Let them stew in their paranoia for awhile."

Sukobi grinned, "You're a devious little bitch aren't you?"

Ki scoffed indignantly, "You wish."

*~*~*~*~*

Hiei mentally went through his orders from Koenma, determined to get this over with as soon as possible. He did everything he could to keep himself busy, until there was little else to do but think.

_'Where did the onna go? Was that her pain I was feeling last night? Why the hell is she hurting that much!' _Hiei thought furiously. _'The baka onna wasn't helpful either when it came to why I was feeling the onna's pain to such a degree.' _Hiei trudged through the lines of troops glancing at their projects to make sure they were following orders correctly.

His thoughts were revolving around Ki and what she could possibly be doing. No one seamed to know a thing, except Satan but the irritated fire demon found it was impossible to get into the demon's thoughts. If there was one thing that never failed to irritate Hiei it was not knowing something he desperately wanted to know.

"Oy, Hiei, come back to earth Hiei." Kishin said pushing the fire demon on the shoulder with little care. "Snap out of your perverted thoughts about Ki and listen to me damn it!"

Hiei scowled and rounded on the Fallen Angel, "Nani?"

"Seiyoku wants to know if you've heard anything about Ki." Kishin grunted eyeing the fire demon suspiciously.

"Ie."

Kishin crossed his arms over his chest, "Okay. How are you feeling? You know about being Ki's soul mate?" Hiei only glared murderously at Kishin, hand straying towards his sword. "Calm down, we're in the same boat here. Mated to two smoking hot shape shifters that are older then dirt."

"Hey!" Kishin glanced over his shoulder to see Seiyoku shouting at him from across the army. "I Heard That!"

"I said you were smoking hot babe!" Kishin shouted back without a care to the demons around him. "Love you!"

Seiyoku waved it off, "Love you too, but you're still in trouble!"

Kishin chuckled, "Goody." He turned back to Hiei, "Come on, I'm sure you have some questions. Like how connected you're going to be when you both acknowledge that you belong together. Or maybe how much of their feelings and thoughts are going to reach you even when you're trying to block them out."

Hiei stared at Kishin, those questions had drifted through his mind once or twice but he had never really thought about them. "What are you talking about?"

Kishin gave a toothy grin, "Don't tell me you haven't tried to contact her mentally." Hiei turned his head away, he hadn't really actually. After begin swamped with her pain it was the first and last time he had tried, "You haven't!" Kishin's eyes bugged out of his head as he stared in belief at the fire demon. "Oh come on Hiei!"

Hiei growled at Kishin dangerously, "I have, and all I got was her pain. She was screaming her heart out it hurt so much. I could hear it in my head."

Kishin sobered up fast, "Hiei she's strong, I'm sure she's fine. But if you want to find our for your self reach out for her. Just try to find her consciousness and everything from there on will just come to you." Kishin patted Hiei on the shoulder. "Now if you excuse me, I have make up sex to get to."

Hiei twitched inwardly and watched Kishin walk away from him, heading out in search of Seiyoku. Without really consciously coming to the decision, Hiei decided he would try to contact Ki within the hour.

"Come on boys we need our army ready by nightfall." Koenma shouted at the soldiers walking at a slow pace around him. A few sped up but not many. Even though Koenma was now King of the Spirit world, the men had yet to respect him. He had done nothing to earn it yet. He groaned in irritation. "Boton why won't they listen to me?"

"Well maybe because you aren't helping them." Boton said shrugging her shoulders. She was only here because it would be her job to take the souls of the departed to the spirit gate.

Kurama shook his head sadly and surveyed the men he was responsible for. His part was nearly complete. Yusuke and Hiei close behind him. Kuwabara was causing more trouble then he was helping. But those under the human did not seam to mind. He had earned their respect long ago and he was trying to help.

"Hey Kurama, do you think Hiei will be able to wrap his mind around the battle?" Yusuke asked jogging up to the kitsune, "He seams really out of it."

Kurama nodded, by now all of the Spirit Detectives knew that Ki and Hiei where soul mates. Not even Yusuke or Kuwabara would tease the fire demon on the subject either. "He's probably trying to sort out how he really feels for Ki, as well as dealing with the worry he's feeling for her."

Yusuke chuckled, "That's new, Hiei doesn't worry about a thing, but I can see why he is. She just took off suddenly with no word. I doubt any of us know where she is or what she's doing." Yusuke looked closer at the armor Hiei was wearing, "Hey Kurama, doesn't that look like Shiin's armor and the stuff he found in the vault for Seiyoku?"

"Hai, it's dragon scales. All of the armors have matched the respective dragon's scales. Except for Hiei of course. Shiin's dark blue, Ki's light blue and Seiyoku's green. It might be their own scales." Kurama mused thoughtfully, "By the way, how much sleep did you get last night?"

Yusuke frowned, "None, Kishin and Seiyoku were going at it all night long." Yusuke whined, "It was driving me nuts."

Kurama smiled like the fox he was, "And I'm sure you were just glad they weren't on the couch weren't you?"

"Damn straight."

"Kurama, do you have any idea why there are some Hell Hounds on the other side of the clearing?" Shiin asked as he greeted the pair casually.

"No, I thought they were following Eric's orders." Kurama said turning to watch the trio of Hell Hounds carefully. They flitted between the trees quickly, almost unseen. Faster then Ki even. "They are quite fast aren't they?"

"Hell Hounds are the fastest demons in Hell and the Makai. The out run Ki and Hiei easily." Shiin grunted watching them closely, "I don't like this. They aren't dressed in the same fashion the ones from Hell are. That concerns me."

The Hell Hounds in the trees fled the field shortly, returning to Kiriai's camp swiftly. Within minutes they located Kiriai and reported their finding to her quickly and efficiently.

"Dismissed." Kiriai said pouring over a drawn out model of the battle field. "Koenma's set up his armies in three key points. It's too early to tell where the weak side will be yet but with the Hell Hounds it won't take long." She mused circling different areas on the map. "Lieutenant, what's your assessment with the positions of Koenma's troops?"

"This is not something Koenma came up with on his own my lady. I used to work for him and draw his battle plans." The demon said peering over the map. "I haven't seen him come up with anything like this before. He's really thought this one through." The lieutenant pointed to the rear flank, "Maybe if we can move troops here, we can take them by surprise, Koenma has never really thought anything through before."

Kiriai nodded agreeing with the demon, "I'll call you back in an hour, when his troop are more settled. Then you will advise me in a proper plan of attack." The Lieutenant nodded curtly and taking that as a dismissal, left the tent.

*~*~*~*~*

"I think the paranoia is setting in now." Hakari whispered excitedly, watching the demons fidget and bicker amongst themselves. Ki nodded in agreement and turned to Sukobi. She shed her armor in exchange for a dirty set from Hakari, as she gave orders to Sukobi.

"Wait for my signal, I'll go in first under the pretence that I'm here under Kiriai's orders. That will freak them out thoroughly because they haven't seen me in months." Ki hissed filling him and Roiyaru in as well. "When you see a burst of flame come from the tower, you can attack." Ki collected the few demons she selected to join her on the mission and put them in fake chains. When each of them confirmed they were ready to go in without their armor, Ki moved in for the kill.

She marched the four dragons up to the front gate and scowled darkly. "Open the gate!" She ordered coldly, slipping back into her roll as Kiriai's servant.

"Who are you?"

She clenched a fist, "Okibi Dokuja scum, now open the gate before I break it down!" She was met with worried yelps of fear and the loud groan of the gate opening slowly. She tugged on the lead of her chain and lead her 'captives' forward.

"Who are they?" Ki recognized one of the guards who were put in charge of watching over her occasionally. He was one of the few who had no problem talking back to Ki, even beating her while she was chained down and powerless. She added him to her list of demons to torture before she killed them.

"Shape Shfters. Kiriai told me to bring them here for safekeeping. Any problems with that?" She snapped, glaring murderously at her old keeper.

"No." He grunted back and let her into the castle, turning on the demons that stated to gossip in hushed whispers. News spread around the castle fast, Okibi Dokuja was alive, and still under Kiriai's control. The rumors of her escape had been false.

Ki grunted to herself and lead the demons into the castle. Once inside she undid the shackles and nodded to them. Instantly they seamed to disappear around her, as she started to long climb to the top of the stairs. As they went, the group entered every room and killed its inhabitants. Ki checked to make sure all four of ht demons that had come with her were still okay before sprinting up the stairs to finish off the guard who would alert everyone to the attack.

Quickly Ki dispatched the guard and let loose a large burst of flame that Sukobi could easily see from his vantage point, "Al right boys! Let's go on in!" Sukobi shouted, raising his sword and causing hell.

Ki watched as the shape shifters climbed the walls of the castle in waves, quickly overpowering the small squadron of guards in the courtyard. Shouting from the hallway captured her attention and guards spilled into the room. Ki drew her swords, rounding on the demons without mercy. Her swords bit through their armor and into flesh.

A savage grin spread itself over her face as she finished with the demons before her. Without a second's thought Ki jumped out of the window, landing smoothly on a window ledge some three stories below her and broke the window. The demons that fell to the mercy of her blades littered the floor as she fought with savage glee.

_'Onna.'_ Ki's eyes widened as Hiei's voice rang in her mind.

"Hiei." She said out loud, not caring the least about the looks she was getting from those before her.

_'What are you doing onna?'_ Hiei could feel the savage joy that was rushing through Ki as she fought for her Kingdom, for the life she very well might not have within the next week. But that didn't dampen her thoughts at all.

"Fighting to the death."

_'Where!'_ Hiei demanded alarmed, _'Onna what the hell are you thinking!'_

"Kiriai's no my castle now. I'm reclaiming it. And I'm thinking of shutting you out of my mind for distracting me." Ki grunted as she twisted painfully away from a fast spear thrust. "Do you mind coming back later?"

_'I'm staying onna.' _Hiei growled, Ki could practically hear the underlying growl in Hiei's voice, almost as if he was right next to her.

Ki's smile saddened a little, as she fought through the hoards of demons surrounding her. "I've missed your nagging. That'll be your new nick name, nag." Hiei growled warningly in her head again. "Or maybe I'll go by what my father calls you, Kasui. That sounds about right with your hair and all."

_'You're talking more then normal onna.'_ Hiei stated makign Ki blink in surprise.

"I suppose I am. But that's because There's no one around but dead demons, or soon to be dead demons." Ki stated slicing another demon in half with ease, "That and I'm happy right now."

_'Are you going to make it to our battle by tonight?'_

"At this rate, probably not. These suckers just keep coming, where the fuck are my reinforcements?"

_'Reinforcements?'_

Ki mentally slapped herself, "I'll explain later, when I'm not fighting eight demons at a time in a cramped space. " With that she shut off the connection before she gave away anything concerning the shape shifters. Ki truly hated keeping such big secrets from Hiei but she couldn't tell him yet. It was something that needed to be talked about face to face. As the number of demons slowly dwindled, Ki felt as though she was slowly digging her own grave deeper every second.

"Okibi! There you are, the last of the guards are begin dispatched as we speak." Sukobi called, running to greet her, ignoring the carcasses that surrounded her blood covered form.

Ki nodded pleased, "Let's get the bodies out of the castle, the guards can be burned, any casualties will be buried with full honors." Ki stated, turning to look out of the window. To her surprise the sun was setting beyond the horizon, no way she was going to make it to the battle on time tomorrow. "How many are injured, do we know yet?"

"Maybe ten or twelve. Nothing fatal though, but we need to sort out the bodies to find out how many we lost." Sukobi said as Ki sheathed her swords, beginning to haul carcasses to the window and throw them unceremoniously to the ground.

Work began as soon as the fighting had stopped, the smell of burning flesh filling the air and weapons being added to the growing pile. All of them pillaged from the guards. Ki helped where she could and visited the wounded, telling them they were no longer expected to fight unless they wanted to. Only one of them was unable to fight, and Ki had to order him to stay behind because of the sudden increase in fighters.

It was midnight when the burials for the for demons who died in the attack finished. Ki also spent time with the families, learning more about the shape shifters that sacrificed their lives for her. As she did only what she thought was right, her popularity grew among her army. Not even their clan leaders would have visited the family, or made sure that the funerals, hasty as they were, followed every tradition set down for one who died in battle.

Ki was mentally exhausted when she crashed in her room, not giving a damn as Sukobi and Hakari entered noisily, arguing over a trivial subject. "I told you women don't like that kind of think Hakari! Listen to me already!"

Ki raised an eye brow as she sat up enough to stare at the intruders in her room. "Oh come on, how can they not like it father!" Hakari shot back, rounding on Ki suddenly, "Can you settle something for us?"

Ki shrugged not really caring, "Sure."

"Can you tell father that some women do like having sex rough and hard?"

Ki blinked as Sukobi rolled his eyes as his son's stupidity. "She'll tell you no. As a woman, she likes it slow and easy."

Ki slapped her forehead, only Sukobi could start an argument over something sex related. To make things worse, it looked as though he passed the gene onto Hakari. "What the hell is wrong with the two of you?" Ki demanded, silencing them efficiently. "Never mind I don't want the list. Hakari's right, some women like sex rough and hard, I personally prefer it that way. But Some like it slow and soft so leave the subject alone." She laid back down and rolled over so her back was to the pair.

She heard them grumble to each other and start to leave before she called to Hakari, "Oh and Hakari, if you're planning on having sex with someone, take it slow until you figure out how they like it."

Hakari felt his face turn scarlet, "H-hai Okibi, arigato."

Ki chuckled, "So innocent, to bad Sukobi will make sure he's corrupted before his next birthday."

*~*~*~*~*

"She's not here is she?" Koenma asked Hiei as the sun lazily rose over the trees. Hiei grunted in displeasure, the onna had completely shut him out of her mind, and the only thing he could get from her was the sense of urgency. "Great, Murkuro has her army in position, we are ready to attack."

Hiei nodded and went about waking everyone up, or at least those who woke everyone else up with their screaming. It took an hour before everyone had eaten and was in their formation waiting for Kiriai's troops to make their appearance so the battle could begin. They didn't have to wait long before Kiriai's army slowly marched into the clearing.

In an instant Koenma and Murkuro knew they were far out numbered, hope still where confident they could win. The vast majority of their enemy's army was mindless blood thirsty demons, they didn't fight with a strategy and would ruin any plan Kiriai had. They hoped.

Kiriai surveyed the show of troops Koenma and Mukuro had presented with a critical eye, so far her Lieutenant had been right, this was not a set up Koenma could have come up with on his own. "Let's not keep them waiting for our attack. I want this over and done with soon. Send in the Hell Hounds."

"Hai!" The order was given out quickly and the hell hounds started to emerge form Kiriai's ranks, shifting as they did so.

"How the hell did she get hell hounds!" Eric snarled, rage unfurling in his body, "Koenma, this was not our doing, she must have bred them. Several of our kind have gone missing this last year, we just assumed they had been killed."

Koenma nodded, face paling as the enemy was starting to run at them ready to kill all in their path. "Intercept them Eric, you know how to fight them!"

Eric nodded and roared out his orders to his men. They were feeling the same rage he was as they figured out who it was they were going to be fighting. The next second as Kiriai's troops crossed the halfway point on the field, Eric led his charge of Hell Hounds out to meet them. Howling as he did so.

Kiriai was seething, _'When the hell did Koenma make a peace treaty with Satan. How did he get him to let Hell Hounds on his side?'_ Her eyes narrowed, _'No, it wasn't him. It was Okibi.'_ "Keep up the charge, archers!"

Hiei narrowed his crimson eyes as movement erupted within Kiriai's front lines. "Koenma! She's sending out her archers!" He shouted as several winged demons took to the sky, releasing arrows as they went.

Several of Eric's hell hounds were hit, but none were brought down, instead they plowed on howling as they went. Eric was the first to taste blood, sinking his fangs deep into the shoulder of the leading hell hound. He grappled with his enemy for a few seconds before over powering the less experienced demon and ripping out his throat. He threw his head back howling with the victory of his first kill.

"Kishin, get your wind demons and those who can fly up there and get rid of those archers!" Koenma demanded, watching as Kiriai's second wave of attack started. Dmeons piling out of her army and racing directly towards him, blood lust emanating form the group. "Kurama!"

Kurmam nodded, and moved his army forward slowly, waiting for Kiriai's reckless demons to spring his trap. "General!" He turned his head to watch as a few of his more reckless soldiers couldn't wait anymore and rushed out to meet their enemy in charge.

"Leave them! Any move we make to bring them back will give away our trap." Kurama said calmly, his men looked at each other nervously but held their place, wincing as demon eating plants sprang up from the ground on cue and attacked the oncoming demons from both sides. Kurama watched the blood shed carefully and was surprised when one by one his plants went up in flames. Survivors clearing the pants and still going strong.

"KURAMA!" Koenma shouted, he had never seen any group of demons best Kurama's plants. Never.

"Alright, let's go." Kurama led his men towards the mess of demons still growing as more and more of them crawled out of the remains of the plants.

Sieyoku watched horrified as Kishin took three arrows to the chest, falling a little but regained altitude quickly. Determined to bring down the last demon archer still flying without an opponent. Shiin grabbed her shoulder and made her face the battle on the ground before she could take off after Kishin recklessly.

"You're not going anywhere Seiyoku. We're staying on the ground until it's our turn to reek havoc on Kiriai."

"But Kishin just took three arrows to the chest!"

Shiin looked up to the sky, spotting Kishin with three broken off arrow shafts indeed sticking out of his chest. He watched him rip one out savagely and jam it into the neck of the demon he was fighting as well. Kishin looked down at Seiyoku and gave a small wave before regrouping with the other demons still fighting.

"Looks like he's doing fine to me." Shiin said light hearted, as Kishin broke the neck of another demon.

Seiyoku looked him horrified, "He's got three bloody arrows sticking out of him and you're saying he's fine!"

"Two Seiyoku. And he's a fallen angel demon. He grew up in hell fighting hell hounds to the death. I don't think that two or three arrows are going to stop him anytime soon. Look he's even checking the wounds now, didn't even do more damage then a scratch with his armor on." Shiin pointed out as Sieyoku nodded slowly, mentally reaching out for reassurance from Kishin that he was fine. When he confirmed it she turned back to Shiin.

"So what's it like for you and your soul mate Shiin? She worrying her head off right now?"

Shiin chuckled, "Probably, but she's gonna get swarmed with injured soon enough and won't have time to worry."

"No, she'll worry, just heal people and worry." Sieyoku said watching Boton run back and forth from Koenma to the healers tent panicked. _'I wonder what has her so worked up already?'_

"Something's not right Seiyoku." Shiin muttered watching Kiriai's troops, as a third wave of demons marched out to act as reinforcements for the hell hounds. "They must be her weakest demons, she's sending them to their death's. Hell Hound venom is poisonous. It's a distraction!" Shiin realized alarmed.

"Nani!" Seiyoku cried watching Kiriai's troops shift a little restlessly, "Are you sure?"

"We've been in enough war and battles to know this Sieoyku." Shiin growled furiously, "Watch Hiei's side of the army, they're either attacking their or on Mukuro's side. Her army is tired, while ours is well rested for the fight. I would attack both places, Hiei's side to make Mukuro nervous then wipe her out from behind while they are focussed on the other fights."

As if on cue Mukuro's army let out a cry of shock and the enemy took them by surprise, launching themselves into her unprotected side furiously. Mukuro snarled in rage, furious with her self for letting herself, be distracted by the fights below her. "Regroup and push them back!" Mukuro snarled shooting a pink energy bomb at her opponents.

Quickly her army recovered from the shock and woke up. Hey regrouped efficiently and counter attacked. A cry went up as a small platoon of hell hounds ripped through her lines like butter.

"Hold them here! They cannot get to the back of Koenma's forces! I said hold them HERE!" Mukuro shouted at her generals, a few of whom where giving significant ground. They looked form their opponents to Mukuro and figured they would rather fight to the death then live and face Mukuro's rage.

"Their flying demon's are starting to attack from above." Kiriai's lieutenant warned, watched as they started to dive bomb the troops aiding her hell hounds.

"Send in the vampires who can fly then." She said calmly, watching Koenma's troops slowly fall apart. He nodded and signaled for the vampires to be let loose. Kiriai really liked this lieutenant. He would probably replace her second in command. He had come up with a counter for every attack Koenma was predicted to throw at them and had come up with new strategies on the spot on how to attack Koenma with what demons weren't used in counter attacks.

Dozens of vampires took to the skies, eager to shed blood. Kishin looked around alarmed as screams of pain suddenly went up from his demons. Many had been caught unaware and were being gorged upon viciously. He snarled and flew straight into a vampire heading his way.

They grappled, bodies locked as they fought for top position in the air battle. He worked his fist free to punch his foe in the jaw, sending it spiraling downwards a few feet. He grimaced as he tasted his own blood fill his mouth. The vampire had head butted him hard in the jaw before he could counter.

"You're a Fallen Angel demon aren't you?" the vampire asked suddenly flying back up to face Kishin evenly.

"What's it matter to you scum?"

"Well my kind came from yours. We shouldn't be fighting. You should be fighting with us not against us." He sneered, "But then again I have't seen you use any kind of dark attack that fallen angel demons are known for."

Kishin bared his teeth, launching him self at his enemy furiously, "I like to fight with my hands!" He barreled into the demon, pulling a knife out of his belt and stabbing the vampire in the side, twisting the blade angrily. Pain racked his skull and a cry of pain filled his ears as, the vampire screeched in shock. "Chew on this!" Kishin let go of the vampire and twisted dangerously in the air, kicking the vampire while knocking out a few teeth.

"You broke my teeth!"

"Sorry, guess you should have brushed better then." Kishin growled, closing one eye as blood started to fall into it from his hairline. The vampire snarled in furry and launched himself as Kishin, they fought each other carefully. Twisting and gliding in the air. Trying to gain the top position over the other.

_'Whoever gets on top will win!'_ Kishin though alarmed as the vampire gained a little height on him. _'Damn.'_

Koenma watched the new air battle speechless, where had she come up with vampire too! He turned to Shiin and Seiyoku, both of whom were tense as thy watched the fight nervously. He though quickly. Kishin was up there fighting and he was Seiyoku's soul mate. But Kiriai didn't know about her yet, and her judgment could be impaired by her worry over Kishin.

"Shiin! Get up there and help Kishin!" He ordered the cobalt dragon quickly, watching as the gray eyed dragon gave him a look before letting his wings slid carefully out of his armor. "Go!"

Shiin nodded and looked back to Sieyoku silently saying 'I'll take care of Kishin' before he launched his powerful body into the sky. Shiin barreled through the mass of vampires, heading directly for Kishin and his enemy, fighting far above the other demons. He flew up silently behind the vampire and grabbed its wings in each hand.

The vampire tired to jerk out of the death grip, fear filling it for the first time. Shiin pulled harshly at the wings, ripping them out of their sockets with surprising ease. Kishin nodded to Shiin and stabbed the demon in the throat with his dagger, ripping it the side so that the head was nearly dismembered from the body.

"Thanks for that." Kishin grunted, breathing heavily, nodding to Shiin.

"Seiyoku is more worried about you then anything else. Tell her you're going to live then pull your men back, I'm shifting into my dragon form." Shiin grunted, by now the noon sun had reached its peak and it was bearing down upon him. Cooking him in his armor.

"Right," Kishin nodded, swiftly giving out the order and contacting Seiyoku through their link. Shiin started to shift, his form taking on that of a huge cobalt dragon. His roar of challenge drew many vampires up to him within the moment he had changed.

He snorted in surprise and Kishin landed smoothly on his back. He narrowed his eyes accusingly.

"Oh shut up, I'm you're back up now so get over it." Kishin barked reading the look in Shiin's eyes. Shiin growled, a low rumble in his throat and turned to face the vampires. Shooting a jet of searing hot flames at the ones that were too close.

Kishin wobbled a little on Shiin's back, ripping off a strip of his pants leg and tying it around his head to stop the bleeding. He wiped the blood from his eyes and checked his wounds. Nothing to serious, he turned back the air battle in front of him and called on his demon energies. He shot several dark bullets at the vampires flying around behind Shiin and kept them back easily.

"Looks like Shiin is having fun." Yusuke remarked lightly to Hiei, crossing his arms and switching his attention to the attack coming toward him and the fire demon. "Looks like it's going to be our turn soon too."

"Hn." Hiei grunted, crimson eyes calculating the demon coming towards him. He and Yusuke were in charge of a small group of men. Maybe twenty or twenty five each. All the men where well seasoned close combat specialists, and assassins.

Yusuke grinned suddenly, "I bet I can kill more of those bastards then you can by the end of the night."

Hiei smirked, the detective knew how to distract him alright. "I'll take you up on that bet, provided you don't die." Hiei and Yusuke had slowly developed a small bond between them. It was being strengthened more and more by the time the two were spending together and by Hiei's new openness.

Yusuke chuckled shaking his head, "I'm not gonna die, but I will beat you."

"Hiei! Yusuke! Watch those demons coming at you and attack when you're ready." Koenma shouted at them from his position behind the main force. Checking the demons coming into the medical tent as he went. Trying to get an idea of how strong their enemy really was.

"I guess that's our cue." Yusuke said nodding to his men, "Alright boys! Let's go!"

Hiei grunted, "Let's go." He and Yusuke started toward the oncoming demons, it quickly turned into a race between them. The two reached the demons minute before their own men did.

"They're having fun at least." Seiyoku remarked dryly to herself. Watching as Yusuke and Hiei slowly but steadily cut through the ranks of the demons in front of them. "I wonder if Ki-chan is having as much fun as that."

*~*~*~*~*

"We are going to need to fly as fast as possible if we want to get to the battle field by nightfall at the earliest." Ki growled irritated, catching Hakari's shoulder as he stumbled on the landing. "Watch it, take it slow until your body is done adjusting to the new growing pattern." Ki scolded, Hakari smiled despite himself. After realizing Ki wasn't exactly like what all the stories said, he was able to see the side of Ki he was sure very few people see. The motherly side that showed itself whenever she was truly concerned for him.

"I know, I'm just a little tiered that's all." Hakari said lightly, he followed Ki's gaze as she watched her people fly in for their well deserved break.

"We're moving to slow." Ki grunted to Sukobi, who shrugged and took a swig from his water can.

"Nothing I can do about that though." Ki scowled darkly and started sharpening a sword furiously. "Look Okibi, I know you refuse to exhaust the soldiers but you need to get to your friends as soon as possible."

"How am I supposed to do that Sukobi?" Ki asked, "Do you know someone who can get us through the woods without me leading you through?"

"I know a way." Roiyaru said suddenly, looking from Ki to Sukobi confidently. "I'm the fastest flyer here, maybe second to Lady Okibi, but damned close to it. Sukobi can navigate through the woods, they aren't so different from a thousand years ago. He'll be going slower but they will make steady progress. So I can follow Lady Okibi to the battle and then fly back to lead Sukobi there. If we fly as fast as we can I can get there and back by an hour or two after dark considering how fast Sukobi is moving."

Ki stared at him, "Do you think you can keep up with me?"

"I don't think I can, I know I can. I used to sneak out during patrol duties and just fly. Going as fast as I could for as long as I could. I can fly at my fastest for seven hours straight. No breaks."

Ki could have kissed Roiyaru right there. "That is the best news I've heard in a long time. Oh and Roiyaru don't call me Lady Okibi, it's Ki. And that goes to all of you." Sukobi nodded smiling broadly, and Hakari just nodded. "Alright Roiyaru let's go."

Roiyaru nodded and shifted in sync with Okibi, the pair taking off and leaving Sukobi far behind. Ki set a break neck pace that Shiin couldn't even have thought of. Flying low and fast with the treetops. Roiyaru was surprised with Ki's sudden speed and urgency but kept up with little difficulty. They flew for two hours, the sun setting now was Ki slowed the pace slightly, more gliding now to give her wings a small break.

"How are you doing Roiyaru?" She asked, draconian voice rough and lower then even Shiin's normal voice.

Roiyaru snorted slightly, "I'm fine, I can keep going for another five hours easy, six to seven with some effort." He answered back honestly.

"Good, thank you for your honesty." Ki said, and swiveled her head to the side as the sounds of battle reached her dimly. She glanced up to look at he sky, it was a dark cobalt blue. Almost the same shade of Shiins, Roiyaru's dark blue scales, nearly black helped him blend into the night as well. "Stay silent I can hear them." Roiyaru nodded in understanding.

Ki focused on the memory of Shiin's dragon form and shifted, her body growing and scales darkening. Within seconds she was the spitting image of Shiin's dragon form. She smiled to herself and darkened the scale shade a bit. Completely blending into the dark Ki and Roiyaru picked up speed, reaching the battle field just as night fell over them.

They landed silently and shifted back into their normal forms. Ki nodded to Roiyaru and they slipped silently into Koenma's army, the soldiers coming to a stand still and the fighting ceasing. She found Koenma's tent with little trouble and gave Roiyaru the look that said 'stay silent'.

"Hiei, how much longer do you think we can hold out if we keep fighting like this?" Koenma asked tiredly, mentally exhausted from the days battle.

Hiei glanced at the new maps including the known positions of Kiriai's troops. "Two days, provided we can keep up the show of strength and they don't have reinforcements on the way from Koumajatsu."

"They don't, you do." Ki said entering the tent, calmly. Eric and the spirit detectives save Kuwabara were all in the tent with Koenma. Shiin and Seiyoku glaring at each other silently from opposite ends of the tent.

"Ki!" Yusuke shouted relieved and happy to see the dragon demon with them again. Ki stumbled as Seiyoku launched herself at Ki and tackled her in a firm hug.

"Where the fuck were you baka?" Shiin demanded in greeting prying Seiyoku off of Ki so she could breathe.

"Yes, where were you Okibi. I never gave you permission to leave the spirit world!" Koenma growled out angrily. "You should have been here today helping us fight off your damn sister. Not out in the Makai doing what ever you wanted."

Ki took in a deep steadying breath before fixing a stern glare at Koenma, "It's time I told you something Koenma. You've been looking for the Queen of the Dragons or at least who her descendants are. Well you've had her in your grasp all along. I am the Queen of the Dragons Koenma. And I've found my people." Koenma stared at Ki openmouthed as she put both hands down on the table and leaned on it to tower over Koenma easily. "I left to find them and I did. I also increased my powers again, and have my people on their way. We made a stop at Koumajatsu and killed every demon there loyal to Kiriai."

"So where are they now?" Kurama asked interested, looking at Roiyaru with interest.

Ki glanced at him before turning back to Koenma. "They are on their way. None of them know the way here, so they are taking their time getting here in once piece. Roiyaru," Ki stood up to face him, "You stay and rest for fifteen minutes then head back to Sukobi and show him the way here in the morning. I don't want him trying to navigate in the dark."

"Sukobi?"

Roiyaru nodded, "Hai."

"He does not go anywhere do you understand me Okibi?" Koenma ordered pointing to Roiyaru furiously.

Roiyaru raised an eyebrow, "I do not follow orders from you." He said seriously giving Koenma a chilling look. Koenma shook with pent up anger. Yusuke looked from Ki to Koenma and decided it was his time to leave, Kurama wishing he could stay, followed him.

Eric took a step forward, bowing his head respectfully. "My Lady, my loyalty is yours. My army is yours, if you want us to pull out of this fight you need to only say the word." Ki nodded, recognizing Eric.

"Thank you Eric. I'm sure your granddaughter will be waiting for you, go to her." Ki said dismissing Eric kindly. The Hell Hound thanked her with his eyes. Trusting her to his army. Ki examined the people in the tent as Koenma remained silent.

Shiin was battered and bruised but nothing obvious or seriously. Kishin's head was bandaged and a little bloody. His left arm covered in bandages. Seiyoku looked completely unharmed to the visible eye, but Ki could read the pain and worry in her gaze. And Hiei. Ki blinked as she examined Hiei's face. Bruises lightly showing across his face and with his removed chest plate. Ki could see the heavy bruising of a sword blow. One that didn't break his armor but still winded him in the process. Otherwise Hiei was unharmed. But what irked Ki was that she couldn't read anything in Hiei's gaze.

Koenma glared at Ki, furious but unsure of how to approach the situation presented. He turned to Shiin and Seiyoku, "Is she really Queen of the Dragons?" They nodded without hesitation. "Why didn't you tell me you were Queen of the Dragons?"

"I'm not stupid Koenma, I know you're king now. And I knew when I saw you that there were something's I should keep to myself. I was proven right when my father told me that the shape shifters were still alive. If you had known about my position you would not have hesitated to pull the title from me and use the shape shifters in anyway you wanted. I am not a fool Koenma so don't take me for one." Ki said regaining her calm.

Koenma drummed his fingers on the table irritated, "I have no choice but to clear you of all charges set against you by the Spirit World. Because of your new position I have to do this. That and you've all but cleared your slate already because of your actions and our agreement upon your capture."

Ki raised an eyebrow but said nothing. Shiin and Seiyoku were grinning from behind her rather smugly and Ki knew what they were thinking, they no longer had to listen to Koenma now that she was freed from her deal. "I cannot let you do that Koenma. I said I was going to repay my sins in the way the Spirit World thought right and I will do that. On the added condition now that I can continue to rule my people without Spirit World interruption."

Koenma nodded and turned her attention to the map on the table before her. "What do you think of Kiriai's positioning?"

Ki examined the troops closely, "She's chosen her spot well and has covered her back and weaknesses. She was not counting on reinforcements to help her win this battle so everything she has with her is what she thinks she needs to win." Ki pointed to a point behind Kiriai and waved Roiyaru over. He looked over her shoulder and wordlessly pulled out his copy of the map she mad made for them. Ki took it from him and started to edit it, then drawing on both maps so that they matched.

"Roiyaru, I want you to lead Sukobi and the army here, behind Kiriai. Then put half of the army under Sukobi and half under you and Hakari. Split up and circle Kiriai, take her army by storm. No mercy and don't let up an inch. All of them are wearing her seal." She drew the seven swords pointed outwards like a star for Roiyaru. "Kill them all, I don't want a single survivor to get by us."

"Hai, I'll fly it to them now, I should be able to reach them with the hour, maybe hour and a half because of the dark." Ki nodded and let Roiyaru go without another word.

"I have at lease eight hundred able fighting shape shifters on the way here. There is no way that Kiriai will make it out of this alive." Koenma nodded, anger draining from him as exhaustion set in.

"Find your self a tent. The battle is going to continue at dawn." He sighed and let everyone trail out of his tent, "Wait Hiei I want to talk to you about something for a minute."

Ki watched Hiei turn to glare at Koenma and slowly left the tent after Shiin and Seiyoku. She allowed a smile to cover her face as Shiin was the first to break and hug her. "We were worried about you. And I can't believe you left ma alone with the hag!"

Ki chuckled as Seyoku threw a solid punch at Shiin's head for calling her a hag again, "Shud up bastard." She snarled, "Ki-chan I have something I want to tell you, that I forgot to tell you before. Not that it was really my fault we were both in heat."

"Nani?"

"Kishin is my soul mate." Ki smiled at Seiyoku, truly happy for her friend, practically her true sister. This time Ki was the one to hug Seiyoku.

"I'm happy for you. Happier then I know how to say, how does someone tell her sister she's that happy for her?" Ki asked a little confused with the idea. "I also have good new for you in a minute."

Seiyoku laughed, "It's been a long time since you regarded me as a sister."

Ki smirked and turned to Kishin, punching him in the shoulder, "You make her cry, I'll make you do more then cry understand?" Ki warned making Kishin smile. She turned back to Seiyoku now, "Alright you, you are an aunt."

"What?"

"You're an aunt to an idiot who is to much like his father. Seiyoku, Sukobi is part of the reason why the dragon demons are still alive and heading this way. And he looks like an old man to boot." Ki said, Seiyoku stared at her shocked before laughing heartily.

"Oh god that must be killing him inside! Dear kami I want to see this!" Seiyoku cracked, nearly falling over.

"Onna."

Ki turned around to see Hiei behind her, the same cold expression in his eyes that Ki couldn't read. "Hiei."

"We need to talk." Hiei grunted, wordlessly Ki nodded and followed him away from the trio outside of Koenma's tent. He led her into the woods, out of sight and hearing of the soldiers.

"What is it Hiei?" Ki asked, suddenly nervous.

Hiei stared at her for another moment before moving his gaze to the moon. "Who's your soul mate?"

Ki stared at him, "I don't know."

"Bullshit, you know exactly who it is onna." Hiei growled angrily. "Tell me who it is."

"You."

Hiei stared at her slightly shocked that her answer matched what Shiin had told him, now he wanted to know why she didn't tell him. "Why didn't you tell me when you found out onna!"

"Because I didn't know what to think Hiei! I had told you that I was planning on using my soul mate so that I could live through this! When I realized it was you I didn't want to use you like that. Hiei you don't deserve that and I didn't want to do it to you anyway. So I eventually came to the decision that you wouldn't need to know because you probably didn't care enough to give me the energy you are going to need to live through the fight on your own." Ki shouted at him, finally losing it. "God damn it Hiei tomorrow I am probably going to die. A dragon demon cannot kill their own family without dying themselves. Unfortunately this does not apply to Kiriai because she's a battle demon."

"Lair, there is something else." Hiei growled, tackling Ki to the ground and pinning her there. "Tell me the whole truth onna."

Ki turned her head to the side finally coming up with the answer she had been searching for. "I don't want to lose you. I thought that if I told you, you wouldn't be able to concentrate on your fight. That when the time came and you did give me energy to live through taking off the last band, you would be too distracted and get killed."

Hiei stared at her, desperately trying to find any hint of a lie in her face and eyes. "Baka."

Ki glared at him, "Nani?"

"You are a baka, onna." Hiei grunted, "Quit trying to be selfless in this. You are redeeming yourself, hat doesn't mean you have to be a bloody saint. This fight is not your fault so quit treating it like it is. Be just a little selfish when it comes to the people you love onna."

Ki stared at him, mouth open slightly in shock. Hiei narrowed his eyes reading the denial in her sky blue orbs and kissed her. He swept his tongue into her mouth claiming everything as his. Ki melted into the kiss almost instantly, taking fistfuls of Hiei's black lock and pulling him closer. He pushed his body firmly against hers, fighting to keep his dominance over her mouth. They broke away only when the need to breathe overwhelmed them.

"You're staying in my tent tonight onna." Hiei's eyes burned with lust and something Ki didn't quite recognize. "And you still have some explaining to do." He pulled her to her feet and dragged her to his tent quickly. Ki smirked, maybe telling him wasn't so bad after all.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

**The end is really close now, more fluff next time maybe? I dunno, won't be able to really work on the next chapie until sometime after July 4, unless by somemiracle my inspiration keeps flowing and I keep typing. Who knows? **

**Reviews are something I am begging for here cause this chapter was kind of rushed and I really want to know what you think about Hiei and Ki's relationship and Ki's new openess to other people. I wanna make sure with you readers that she's stayign within character even though she's maturing on her own in this. Becuase no one knows her better then you guys, becuase I know too much about her and it seams she is staying in character but I want to make sure she's not changing to fast.**

**Kaori Minamino and dragonwingedangel are my favorite reviwers so far, closely followed by Tears of a Dark Moon, of Heaven and Hell, some anon person, Rachaeltje, PotassiumChloride, OoOlady heatherOoO, Gesshoku2, edward shines, Zegg, and most importantly blackrose4ever (becuase she was the first person to ever review) love you all becuase all of you rated adn took the time to tell me what you think!**


	23. Chapter 23: Gouken Kato, Welcome to Hell

Chapter 23: Gouken Kato, Welcome to Hell

Hiei watched Ki sleep, eyes trailing shamelessly over her naked form. His fingers lightly grazed the scarring skin around her middle, proof that her powers had increased and it wasn't just a flux in power. Sukobi and Hakari, Seiyoku's family, Ki's family by extension did this. It was why she was hurting so much when he had tried to contact her. She has done so much, endured so much the past months that it made Hiei wonder how it compared to the rest of her life. Surely there was a time she hurt more or liked more then here and now.

He decided he liked the tattoo on her back, and hadn't thought of questioning her about it yet. It looked similar to his own tattoo of the Dragon of the Darkness Flame. He smirked recalling how she had writhed under him as he had traced the tattoo with his tongue. Hiei forced himself to think of anything but what Ki had looked like while he fucked her, he was started to arouse himself with the thought. He focused instead on what she had told him last night, Koumajatsu, summoning demons huh? A castle named because of the demons that were drawn to it, or in some cases summoned to it because of what Ki wanted.

Just when Hiei thought he had finally solved the mystery that was Okibi Dokuja, something else she said or did made him wonder again. Then he thought about her family, something that kept growing and growing. First her and her parents, then Kiriai her sister. Shiin was like her brother now, not a lover any more. Seiyoku a real sister, and Seiyoku's brother Sukobi, and Sukobi's son, Ki's nephew Hakari. And because Kishin and Seiyoku were mated that makes Kishin her brother too of sorts. Hiei blinked remembering Ki mention her mother being pregnant with her new baby brother.

Then he turned his thoughts to his own family, mother dead, father unknown presumably dead, grandparents dead or thought so, and finally his twin Yukina. She was his only family, unfortunately that might expand to the baka as well. Hiei silently grunted not wanting to wake Ki just yet, dawn was still an hour or so away.

_"What do you want me to say onna, I cannot take back what has already been done." _

_"I don't want you to do something so stupid as to threaten your life over anything so trivial as a fight with Shiin or any other demon for that matter." _

_"Why do you care so much! I am the Forbidden Child! Forbidden from love, I have killed hundreds if not thousands! I am a monster! No one should care for a monster! I am a thief, murderer, monster, cold-hearted demon! Why do you care! You have family that cares about you, weather or not they are in Hell matters little! You are a Princess and great warrior! Why do you even notice someone like me!" _

_"Are you really all of those things? Because that's not who I see. I see a demon who has been wrongly titled because of his mothers people. I see a survivor, someone who does what they do to get along in life. Someone who doesn't give up. I see a caring brother who cares so much for his sister it hurts him to have to hide who he is from her to keep her safe even when his deal with Shigure has become void. That is who I see Hiei._

_"I notice you because you have gotten my attention and I can't look away from someone who is hurting so much, and yet can hide it so easily. My family, titles, all of that can go to Hell for all I care. When it comes down to it I'm a monster, murderer, cold-hearted demon, but I have no reason for being those things. You do Hiei. Weather or not you believe me you are better then me. You do the things you do to protect your sister and to get on in life. Why I did what I did was out of boredom and fun. "_

Hiei blinked as the conversation ran through his thoughts, and decided that's when he truly started to develop some feelings for Ki. But now he had to decide what those feelings had turned into. Seiyoku had told him that sometimes soul mates were too alike and pushed each other away rather then developed a real relationship with them.

Hiei wrapped his arms around Ki's waist and pulled he against him. Had he pushed her away yet? That seamed to be the only thing he knew how to do when it came to the people he cared about. For a minute Hiei thought that he was coming close to that point, then decided against it. Ki forgave him for everything that he's done, even if it wasn't directed to her. He decided that if she could do that, then he could forgive and except her secrecy realizing that his temper and cold attitude would have made anyone hesitate to tell him something they knew was going to provoke him to some kind of action.

Ki sighed in his arms and nuzzled into his bare chest in her sleep, brining Hiei back from his own thoughts. He stared at his mating mark, branding Ki as his. The black dragon curling protectively around a second dragon, this one light blue. He smirked and reasoned that he was rather protective of Ki to a degree, but could except her power and let her do what she wanted. He buried his nose into her hair and inhaled deeply, the addicting sent making him glad she was in his arms.

Ki's fogged mind slowly started to stir, first acknowledging the warmth surrounding her. Before she really thought about it Ki snuggled closer to the heat source. As her mind became more awake she opened her eyes and looked up to see Hiei's sleeping face above her. Ki smiled a little, Hiei really did look innocent when he slept.

Contentment washed over Ki in lazy waves as she closed her eyes again, just happy to be laying in the arms of her soul mate. The rest of the could burn for all she cared at the moment. She was with the one she knew she loved, the one who she gave her heart to and knew it was in good hands. For a moment she wondered what had kept her from mating Shiin before.

Ki couldn't think of an actual answer. There was more of a feeling behind it, something that Shiin did not quite fill. But Hiei did, perfectly. Her body fit perfectly to his, and the annoying thought that they wouldn't be able to lay like this again nagged at the back of her mind.

"Oy! Ki! Where the hell are you damn it!" Ki frowned as Yusuke's loud and annoying voice reached her within Hiei's tent. "Come on, we wanna welcome you back too!"

Ki groaned softly and Hiei wrapped his arms tighter around her waist, "Might as well get up." Ki muttered softly.

"Hn." Hiei grunted rolling over to lay on top of her. "Not until we have to." Hiei growled, resting his head on her chest.

"Am I your personal pillow now?" Ki asked mildly amused with Hiei's behavior. When all she got was a 'hn' in response she smiled and ran her fingers through Hiei's hair.

"Hey Hiei do you know where Ki is?" Yusuke asked from outside Hiei's tent.

"Go away detective." Hiei growled loud enough for Yusuke to hear him. They listened to Yusuke's grumbling as he walked away, still looking for Ki.

Ki sighed, "What if I'm needed for something? It could be important."

"To bad." Hiei muttered, pushing up onto his forearms to look down at Ki hotly. He contemplated taking her again, something before the fight.

"Hiei." Ki started, breaking off as Hiei took her nipple into his mouth, suckling gently. She sucked in a breath as pleasure rolled over her in slow lazy waves. Hiei smirked against her flesh and nibbled her nipple a little harder. A hand plucking at her other nipple and kneading her breast. "Hiei we can't right now."

Hiei rose up over Ki and kissed her, sweeping his tongue into her mouth and ground against her hips roughly. Letting her know why they could right now. "Less talking, more moaning." Ki rolled her hips against his hand as he slowly pushed his fingers into her core, moaning softly as he got her more and more worked up.

Hiei smirked and kissed her neck, licking the mating mark he left on her neck. Ki's moans grew louder as her body became more excited, ready to feel Hiei's thick cock work its way into her again. Hiei reached through their link to feel her pleasure. He smirked and sank his fangs into his mark. Ki thrashed wildly against Hiei, biting his shoulder to keep from screaming aloud, as pleasure stormed her body in vicious waves that triggered her climax.

Hiei groaned sharing her pleasure through the link, it was almost enough to make him reach his own climax himself. Hiei kissed Ki savagely, all lazy gentleness gone now. He watched Ki as she rode out her climax, licking his fingers clean of her. When she stopped she whimpered a little glaring at Hiei through half lidded eyes.

"You are not very nice." Ki whined, mentally kicking herself for whining.

Hiei smirked down at her, "I'm not, don't forget it." He kissed her again, impaling her with one ruthless thrust of his hips.

"Screw you Hiei." Ki murmured weakly as Hiei proceeded to turn her insides to jelly. Hiei grunted in response, taking his time, thrusting into her with long deep strokes.

"I'm screwing you, that is unless if you want to be on top." Hiei groaned, working his cock in and out of her core faster, lunging harder. Ki didn't respond, mind shutting down as he continued to assault her senses. Ki rocked her hips back up against his, meeting him thrust for thrust. She wrapped her legs around his waist and held onto him for dear life.

Ki kissed his neck and shoulders mindlessly, nails tracing invisible designs on his back and shoulders. Her second climax boiling up inside of her, Hiei groaned when Ki nibbled at her own mark. A ring of flames, surrounding a serpent. He thrust harder into her core, pushing as deep as he could get. Their shared pleasure bounced back and forth, building and spiraling higher as it went.

"Hiei!" Ki moaned into his shoulder, trying to muffle the noise as her climax took her mind by storm. Without thinking she buried her fangs into Hiei's neck, the sensitive spot she had found during their romp in the woods.

Hiei stiffened as he drove his cock as deep as he could into her core, his release swamping his mind with numbing pleasure. Hiei kissed Ki again, swallowing her cry of pleasure as he continued to plow into her. He collapsed over Ki, resting his head on her chest again waiting for their breathing to even out.

Hiei's mind was pleasantly numb until a probe entered it, slowly sifting through his thoughts trying not to be detected. Hiei scowled, mood ruined and threw up his mental wall immediately, thrusting the probe out of his mind.

Ki glared at Hiei as he pulled his softening cock out of her core, "Where do you think you're going?"

Hiei raised an eyebrow at her, "To find out who has the nerve to try and get into my mind."

Ki sighed and got up herself, a little unsteady. "You mean other then me and Seiyoku?" Hiei nodded, watching Ki intently as she started to dress in her mini shorts and tank. "Stop staring at my ass Hiei."

Hiei chuckled knowing he was caught even though she had her back turned to him. He dressed quickly donning his armor with difficulty. Ki smirked behind him, having finished putting on her own armor and was content to watch him struggle.

"Need some help?" Hie glared at her from the corner of his eye but nodded. Ki's smirk grew wider as she helped Hiei into the armor and secured it properly.

"You didn't have it on properly yesterday did you?" Ki asked, smirk fading as she noticed exactly where the sword bruise was. If he had worn his armor the way he had been putting it on, it would have left his side nearly completely unprotected.

"Hey Ki-chan! You need to be with Koenma so he can get your opinion during the battle!" Seiyoku chimed poking her head into the tent.

"She's not in there Seiyoku." Yusuke said from somewhere behind her.

Ki frowned and held a finger to her lips, telling Seiyoku to be silent. Deciding to play a mind game with the detective Ki used her new powers to shift into a copy of Seiyoku. Seiyoku's jaw dropped, what the hell?

Ki followed Seiyoku out of the tent like everything was completely normal.

"Where is she then Yusuke?" Seiyoku asked, completely ignoring Ki behind her, imitating her movements flawlessly.

"Uh," Yusuke was speechless, there were two Seiyokus, weren't there? "Seiyoku, there are two of you."

"What are you talking about Yusuke?" Seiyoku asked with pure innocence. Ki might have fallen for it herself had she not known Seiyoku for so long.

Yusuke shook his head as the two Seiyoku's and Hiei headed for the nearest fire to get breakfast. Ki finally took pity on Yusuke and shifted back into her own form.

"No one should be able to turn into anyone else Ki-chan." Seiyoku said ripping off a piece of bacon with her teeth, "I mean no one's ever done it before."

Ki shrugged, "I can, the tattoo on my back means I can. Or that's sort of how Sukobi put it. After he removed the band around my middle he was more interested in what I could do with more of my power back then even me. It was weird." Ki trailed off ignoring Yusuke.

"Okibi, are you planing on going after your sister?" Ki turned around to face a battered Mukuro. Just looking at her made Ki raise an eyebrow. She obviously didn't escape the battle yesterday unscathed.

"Hai. Are you planning on leaving me alone for once?" Ki asked recalling how Mukuro always seamed to be around whenever she woke up, and was trying to kill her.

"Ie." Mukuro shot back a little irritated, "I think you should be put on the front lines."

Ki nodded, "So do I. That's how I normally fight. I take on my enemy head one, where as you for instance play tricks and mind games on them. Personally that seams cowardly to me." Ki finished her meal and stood up to face the seething Mukuro, "You remind me of Kiriai, not a good thing."

Ki left Mukuro sputtering indignantly behind her and focused on the day ahead; fighting, blood, death, life, and that sweet feeling you get when you take down an extremely challenging opponent. But for once she felt nervous about it, this time her chance of dying was more fact based then the game of chance she normally played. If she killed Kiriai she died, if she failed she died, but if someone else killed Kiriai for her she lived. But Ki wanted to be the one to kill Kiriai, no one else.

The odds were stacked against her and Ki couldn't help but let a savage grin cover her face, victory was sweetest when no one thought you could do it in the first place. Ki knew this time was different though, her friends and her family were there to back her up every step of the way. Even people she didn't really care for where backing her up. Knowing that made her feel a little invincible. Until she started to use her head again and logic took over.

"Koenma, I cannot just stand here with you and watch the fighting. I need to be down there with the others." Ki said as she approached the Spirit World King.

"I know, I wanted you to see where Kiriai has been since the fighting ended last night. The sentries say she has not moved a muscle." Ki looked over the battle field, and saw a figure sitting stock still on horse back. Ki narrowed her eyes, and realized that Kiriai was looking right back at her.

Kiriai raised her hand as though in welcoming. Ki pointed to her then drew a line over her own throat. Standard sign for I'll kill you. Kiriai seamed to laugh at that and shook her head, signing to Ki now, 'You'll be the one to die by my hands aneki.'

Ki snarled letting her emotions rule her mind for a moment, 'Only if you cheat coward.'

Kiriai's demonic energy flared with her anger, 'Coward! I am no coward, I simply use everything that I have at my disposal. Unlike you, that's true cowardice.'

'We'll see imoto, we'll see, and I doubt that if you had grown up with me that things would be different. We wouldn't have gotten along, you're too jealous to let family into your heart.' Ki shot back silently, 'Oh and even if you do manage to kill me, you still will not be the one to take father's throne. Remembered that I will be going to Hell when I die, and mother's pregnant with the true heir to Hell.'

Ki turned her back to Kiriai feeling the anger from where she stood. Koenma looked at her questioningly. Ki shook her head and started back down to the front lines. Ki found herself laughing as Kiriai's enraged scream reached her all the way across the battle field.

"OKIBI!"

*~*~*~*~*

Sukobi had the soldiers flying in a direct line now, heading of the battle field with eager anticipation. He could feel it from the demons behind him as well. They knew what was on the line, and they knew their Queen had gone off to start the fight without them. Sukobi also knew it hurt their pride, being left behind because they were too slow but it needed to be done.

"How much farther Roiyaru!" Sukobi called to the dragon ahead of him.

"Not far now! We should land and shift back t human forms. Easier to sneak up on the enemy that way." Roiyaru shouted back, "You land two miles behind Kiriai and move up behind her until you're half a mile away. I'm flying back to tell Ki of our new positions, we arrived faster then she thought you would have." Sukobi nodded and followed Roiyaru's instructions.

Roiyaru changed as well, but to his human form with wings so he could fly under the cover of the trees. The dragon demon received many weird and suspicious stares as he flew into the camp, landing quickly Roiyaru looked around him carefully. Quickly sensing Ki's energy at the front lines he paled and ran to find her.

Ki stood among Shiin, Seiyoku, Yusuke, Hiei, Kishin and Kurama. She looked at ease and said something that made Yusuke slump in defeat and Seiyoku fall over in roaring laughter. It confused Roiyaru, how could they be so laid back when they were at the front lines of an army preparing to go off into battle?

"Ki." Roiyaru greeted as he came up behind Ki silently. Ki raised an eyebrow at his presence, making a calming gesture to Hiei who had drawn his sword instantly.

"Put that thing away Hiei. Roiyaru is not a threat to you." Ki hissed, before turning to Roiyaru, "You're supposed to be with Sukobi."

"He's only three miles en route to the position you gave me. He'll reach the starting point before the fight starts or gets into full swing."

Ki nodded, "I'll signal you then when it's time for you to make your appearance. Flames to the sky." Ki said looking past Roiyaru to fix her gaze on her sister, "Go in forty five minutes, slip away. Kiriai's seen you and wants to know who you are. Don't let her see you leave." Ki hissed focussing on Roiyaru intently, "Even if the battle starts before then, slip away carefully."

Roiyaru nodded and before Ki's very eyes simply melted into the army. "Who the heck was that?"

"One of my generals or lieutenants. Whoever you call the person in charge of your army under you." Ki said waving the question off easily, "Come on, I think Koenma's getting nervous with the lack of action. Everything's too tense."

Shiin nodded in agreement, "We should make the first move this time. Kiriai's probably using this as a way to make our troops nervous, not something we want to happen exactly."

The loud shrill sound of a horn bellowed out, and Kiriai's army started to move forward at once. "Well damn Shiin you should have said something earlier!" Yusuke said, before running to his place among the troops. Kurama heading in the opposite direction, Kishin kissing Seiyoku murmuring words of love and comfort before he to had to run to his place.

"Onna." Ki turned to face Hiei and was met with a searing kiss. Hiei smirked at her speechlessness, "Don't you dare die." Ki could only nod mutely before Hiei took off as well.

"Aw, now wasn't that sweet?" Shiin mocked Ki, pushing her to knock her out of her daze.

"Well Hiei seams to have taken your relationship well." Seiyoku mused smiling at Ki teasingly.

"Urusai." Ki growled, shifting in time with Seiyoku and Shiin into dragons. _'Damn you Hiei.'_ She only received a mental chuckle before she had to focus on the demons approaching her.

There was a visible hesitation among the demons, they were going to have to fight the one person they thought was completely under Kiriai's control. Many looked down right terrified at the aspect of not only fighting one dragon demon, but three at once. Ki heard Shiin snort beside her and took that as her cur, flames issuing from her jaws Ki scorched the ground and the demons on the front line of attack.

Seiyoku followed her example and stayed back as Ki and Shiin darted forward, gorging themselves on demon carcasses.

"Are they really eating the demons?" Boton asked, looking as though she was about to be sick.

Koenma nodded, "They have larger stomachs as dragons. I guess they never really get the chance to completely fill themselves. So eating their foes must be the easiest way to fight and eat."

"But the metal on the demons, their swords."

"Melt, their stomach acid is like liquid fire. Trust me Boton, no has survived being in a dragon's mouth or stomach." Koenma said, watching as Seiyoku took to the sky, devouring the vampires there as well. "I don't think that even Kiriai's army is large enough to feed an army of Shape Shifters Boton."

Boton shook her head and turned away, not wanting to see anymore savage bloodshed.

"Ki, I'll handle the muts, you head for the main forces." Shiin roared, shaking off the Hell Hounds that had managed to latch onto his scaly body.

Ki shook her head, powerful tail sweeping across the carnage and knocking aside her attackers. "It's time we had our reinforcements Shiin, we can't fight them all alone no matter the outcome."

Shiin roared, crushing a demon under his claws, "Fine, Seiyoku get back down here damn it!"

Seiyoku growled in response but glided down to meet with Shiin and Ki as the three of them shifted into their human forms, "You know, eating while fighting isn't such a good idea. The metal after taste gets me every time."

Ki nodded in agreement, "Yeah well it's not like we can totally pig out whenever we wanted to. There would be no food or demons left in the makai." She drew her swords, hacking away at the demons that rushed her, trying to overwhelm her with shear numbers.

Shiin snorted, his own sword and dagger drawn, "What ever, these demons only make the makai weak. And their meat is chewy, I hate chewy."

Ki snorted, fighting back to back with Sieyoku as Hell Hounds circled them. "Like that should matter to you, you eat your food whole. Fuck!" Ki glared at Seiyoku as she thrust her spear backwards, killing Ki's enemy and narrowly missing Ki in the process. Seiyoku grinned at her and kept fighting. Ki rolled her eyes and pressed against her enemies.

"Lady Kiriai, they are going to cut through all of those demons!" one of her lieutenants shouted worriedly.

Kiriai rolled her eyes, "Troops one and two circle Koenma's right and left flanks, three head up the middle, send in the mercenaries to fight the dragons." Kiriai watched carefully as soon Koenma and Mukuro's entire army was soon drowning in hers. The entire masses of demons were fighting while she still had more to spare. "This is pathetic, they are done for."

She smirked as Ki charred the demons in front of her, making a beeline for Kiriai. Seconds later a jet of flame went up into the air, Kiriai's smirk turned to a smile. This war was won! Kiriai called on her sisters power and summoned a large earthen dragon, sending it into the fray of bloody fighting bodies.

Ki growled, Kirai was using her power again! She lifted her swords and pushed them against the dragon's fangs to keep it form swallowing her whole. Ki felt the ground turn up as she was forced back, trying to keep form being eaten.

Koenma stared in open mouthed shock at the earth dragon pushing Ki so effortlessly around the battle field. His shock grew as a white dragon launched out of the trees and pounced on the earth dragon, taking it in its jaws and ripping it away from Ki. A swarm of demons flooded out of the trees, hollering and killing the idiots who got in their way. As Koenma watched several of them turned into animals or dragons themselves.

"The shape shifters are here!" Boton shouted spirit lifting as within second the tide of battle seamed to turn in their favor.

Kiriai snarled in furry, shape shifter were quickly surrounding her, taking her troops by surprise. They weren't supposed to be alive anymore! Kiriai glared at Ki accusingly and bared her teeth as Ki practically flew towards her.

"Let's finish this bitch." Ki growled, swords slamming into Kiriai's with more force then she thought. Knocking her imoto off of her horse Ki gained batter footing and unleashed a hail of heavy blows on Kiriai as she struggled to stand.

Kiriai rolled away from the sting of Ki's sword and jumped to her feet quickly, sword appearing in her own hand. She blocked the thrust from Ki and tilted her head to the side to avoid the thrust from her second sword. She brought her foot up to knee Ki in the stomach then finish with a powerful kick to the jaw.

Ki grunted in slight pain and stumbled back, focusing on Kiriai. She lunged forward, only to have Kiriai meet her blow for blow as they pushed and gave ground to the other in alternating turns. Kiriai kicked the side of Ki's knee hard, causing Ki to loose her focus for a split second. But that was all the time Kiriai needed to slam the flat of her blade against Ki's temple.

Ki hit the ground hard, rolling a little ways away from Kiriai before getting to her feet again, "So aneki, what's this about mother being pregnant again?"

"Oh nothing much really. Except that the child is going to take over the throne of Hell weather or not you actually beat me." Ki gingerly touched the throbbing cut on the side of her head. Even though she was hit with the flat of the blade Kiriai still managed to cut her.

"Then I'll just kill it as well," Kiriai mused, "shouldn't be to hard to kill an infant after all. Or maybe I'll steal it and raise it myself." Kiriai said watching rage unfurl within Ki.

Ki let her demonic energy spin to life, dragon wings and tail sprouting to life. Her hands formed claws that dug into her palms as she gripped her sword. Kiriai raised an eye brow and punched Ki in the face as she charged her.

Ki recoiled and ducked under the next punch, sword biting deep into Kiriai's flesh. Her sister growled murderously and brought her sword down, precisely hitting a gap in the armor Ki was wearing as it tried to stretch with her body. Ki let a small whimper escape her lips as the sword tip broke off.

"Now look what you've done. You broke my sword!" Ki scoffed glancing down at her bleeding side. The armor covered the wound now, no way she was going to be able to get the blade out without taking the whole thing off. "Are you listening to me!"

Ki used her swords to block a kick from Kiriai, "Yeah I heard you, you whiney bitch."

Kiriai called upon Ki's powers and summoned another dragon, this one born of the blood of the fallen whose bodies littered the ground. The pent up furry and frustration that had built up within Ki since she had woken to find herself captive to her sister, had finally reached it's limit.

Without thinking she tossed aside her blades. The very idea of the blood of fallen demons, even blood she had spilled herself, being used to do the bidding of a demon such as Kiriai was despicable. To Ki, Kiriai was disgracing the blood of the brave demons who stood up for what they believed in. Wrong or not Ki was it as something honorable. And now it was being disgraced by her own kin, the last strand of Ki's humanity snapped.

Purple smoke engulfed the pair, Ki's blue eyes turning dark purple as she let her control be swept aside by raw emotion. Adrenaline kept the pain at bay as Ki's claws dug under the last metal band on her wrist. The flash of victory that flared in Kiriai's gaze only reinforced Ki's determination to kill her sister. The sister that used her powers in a way that not even Ki would do.

The purple smoke slowly engulfed the entire battle field. Troops on both sides retreated back to their respective camps. Hoping their leaders would provide some knowledge on the turn of events. They found their commanding officers and took the moment of peace to wrap wounds, and take a death count. Busy regrouping and reforming the ranks.

Hiei's crimson gaze swept over the armies. The shape shifters had grouped together, and followed the orders of one demon. The fire youkai headed for the demons, barely daring to hope that Ki was among them taking charge. When he reached them she was no where to be seen, but his unwrapped arm quickly called the attention of the demon in charge.

"You're a demon who posses a power only Okibi should have, who are you?" Sukobi asked, face covered in blood.

"Her mate," Hiei growled dangerously, "Who the hell are you?"

Roiyaru appeared through the smoke eyes wide an panicky as he stood between the two demons, "Lord Sukobi, Ki's causing the smoke. She's fighting with the Kiriai woman. She's ripping of her last band!"

Cold dread filled Hiei, making him freeze a moment before he could gather his wits about him. The fire demon turned and fled away from the shape shifter. This time seeking out the company of his oldest friend.

Kurama.

The fox demon was busily helping the healers with the wounded, having passed control of his troops to Yusuke so that he could help in the medical tent. He was startled to see Hiei burst into the tent. Looking what he could only describe as panicking.

"Kitsune, how do you send your energy to someone else?" Hiei demanded forcefully.

"Through a strong mental connection, Hiei what's going on!"

"The onna's taking off that last band. She needs more energy to survive." Hiei shot back closing his eyes an opening his jagan.

Kiriai's laughter filled Ki's head as her energy was being taken away from her at a rate that would kill her. "Now you've sealed your fate aneki." Kiriai sneered, taking pleasure in watching her elder sister die in front of her. "You're going to be dead any second now, and I'll rule everybody. Including the shape shifters. Who you've practically gift wrapped for me!"

_'I let my anger get the better of me and I go and do something stupid!' _Ki thought weakly, body and mind shutting down bit by bit. Cold was sweeping into her mind, clawing viciously at her will to live.

_'Baka onna!'_

Hiei's enraged voice filled her head, ringing in her ears. His warmth overtaking her in a wave, seeping into her bones, driving out the cold easily. Ki gasped for air under the overpowering surge of Hiei's energy into her body and mind. And the strength that had left her came rushing back ten fold. New strength filled her body, Kiriai's laughter cut off as Ki forced herself to her feet. The younger woman felt the first chill of fear as Ki's power level continued to rise. Clearing the smoke and climbing to a level far above that of an S-class demon. Ki was in a league of her own now, but it left her breathless as it left her as soon as it had reached it's peak. Ki stood tired an trying to get a deep breath before her sister. But very much alive.

Confidence surged within Kiriai as her army regrouped an efficiently went to attack an rip apart Koenma's front lines. Kiriai narrowed her eyes at Ki as her power surged and destroyed the blood dragon within.

"You should be dead."

Ki bared her teeth, "I should have died a long time ago Kiriai." Ki let her ability to shift into other demons turn her into Satan. "But maybe fate had it that father sent me back to live among the rest of demon kind." Ki shifted into Kiriai next, "And then you came along. Probably full of dreams an ambitions like every demon. But when you found out that some of them would never come true, you became angry." The words leaped unbidden to Ki's lips. But as she said them she knew they were true. "Why did you feel that you had to have everything you wanted? Choosing to go after the impossible has made you miserable." Ki shifted back into herself.

Kiriai hissed at Ki, denial flooding her veins. "Urusai! You don't know anything about me!"

"And whose fault is that!" Ki demanded, "Perhaps if you hadn't woken me with the intent to control me an punish me for some crime I did not commit we would be on the same side. Maybe you would have won this damn war by now if **you** had stepped up to the plate and tried to regain what time was lost to us. And maybe some of it was my fault for not trying to reason with you. Maybe I should have tried to see things from your point of view before I let my own anger and frustration rule me." Kiriai's resolve was crumbling as Ki pushed her harder. "But we can still fix this Kiriai. We can still put this aside and get to know each other as family. Not enemies." Ki couldn't explain the sudden urge to just be able to see her sister as a sister. Not as an enemy, not as someone she had sworn to kill. "Put down your sword, give up this war imoto."

Ki watched speechless as Kiriai seamed to crumble before her. The anger seamed to melt away and left Kiriai looking like a child, almost. One who did something wrong to get attention, and knew it. Ki let down her guard without thinking and took a cautious step toward her imoto.

The twenty seconds Ki had left herself open to attack was not wasted. A Hell Hound raked it's claws through the fragile skin of Ki's wings. Ki cried out in pain and shock, whirling to face her attacker. Ki's cry snapped Kiriai out of her trance and the battle demon lunged forward.

Pain thundered throughout her head as the hell hounds next punch made contact with Ki's temple. Just as her claws pierced the heart of the hell hound, more pain erupted throughout her body.

Kiriai's blade did the impossible and cut through Ki's armor, slicing open her back. The next swing bit deep into Ki's thigh, "Time is lost, and once it's lost you can never get it back."

Ki hit the ground, ignoring the searing pain that spread like wildfire she grabbed Kiriai's ankle and dung her claws into the flesh deeply. Pulling the battle demon to the ground as well. Ki rolled on top of her stunned sister and started to punch every inch of her that she could reach. Her energy focussed on keeping her injured wings from sliding back into her flesh. Something that would only add more wounds to her already bleeding back.

Kiriai snarled savagle at her sister and pulled a dagger from her belt. With the quickness of a snake she plunged it into the gap of Ki's armor as both arms were raised.

Ki no longer thought, simply reacted,. She ripped the blade from her stomach jumped to her feet away from Kiriai. As Kiriai grasped her sword, Ki looked for her own. Not thirty feet from her. She dove for it, grasping its hilt and pulled it up to block Kiriai's strike with barely a second to spare.

Kiriai narrowed her eyes at Ki. The dragon demon was at the end of her power. Ki's body was shaking from over exertion. Blood loss was beginning to take its toll. Kiriai started to hammer Ki with relentless blows that grew in strength, pushing her harder and as far back as Ki could go. Kiriai saw the defeat slowly leak into Ki's cold gaze. Adrenaline pumped harder, she was so close now. Victory it seamed, was finally within her reach. And she was sure it would be sweet.

Ki couldn't stand against Kiriai for much longer and she knew it. The bleeding from her wrist had yet to stop and what little energy she had left was trying to heal her wounds. Ki gave ground slowly and painfully. It seamed to be all she knew during the fight. Pain. She could feel her injured leg start to give out. Ki fought the impending exhaustion and twisted her wrist expertly as her leg gave out and she fell. Her fall caught Kiriai off guard and she stumbled forward as Ki hit the ground. Ki flicked her sword up and around, and Kiriai screamed in pain and shock as the blade ate through flesh and bone.

"You Fucking Bitch!" Kiriai screeched, clutching the bloody stump of her wrist.

Ki's body felt heavy as Kiriai snarled, kicking her numb form. Ki's darkening gaze focussed on Kiriai's hand next to her own. The bloody bracelet still attached.

_'Well fuck. Looks like I've finally lost a fight.' _Ki thought, hand closing over the bracelet and held onto it with what little strength she had left. _'Guess I'm a sore loser.'_ She started absorbing all of the energy left within it. She knew she had to stay alive long enough to drain it. She was gong to make sure that happened.

Whatever the cost.

"Okibi!" Shiin roared, heart clenching as he caught sight of her fallen form. He froze watching helplessly as the woman he fought for and along side of nearly all of his life was kicked and stomped on by Kiriai.

Shiin's roar drew Hiei's attention. The fire demon followed the dragon's gaze and felt his heart stop. Ki's lifeless form failed to even flinch away from Kiriai's blows. He stood frozen as Ki failed to respond, and fail to call out even mentally for help. Kiriai only stopped to pick up her fallen sword. It spurred Hiei forward.

_'Move onna! Move!'_ Hiei demanded, legs carrying him forward.

_'Hiei'_ Was her weak response. His heart skipped a beat. She was alive! Cold dread filled him as Kiriai rounded on Ki.

And raised her sword for the final blow.

_'Hiei, aishiteru.'_ Hiei was running flat out now.

The blade started to fall.

_'Onna!'_

Blindly Hiei reached for the dagger Satan had given him. His crimson eyes met dulling sky blue ones, they were dead and defeated. Hiei drew back his arm, gaze moving to focus on Kiriai. The dagger leapt from his hand.

The sword fell a hairs breath away from Ki's neck. Kiriai clutching it as she fell, the dagger appearing between her eyes. Seconds later Hiei fell to his knees at Ki's side.

In utter silence and within moments the fighting around them stopped. Demons on both sides watched as Hiei, with aching tenderness pulled Ki into his arms. Afraid to do anything that would finish her off.

"Arigato Hiei," Ki mumbled, voice barely audible, sleep pulling at her ruthlessly. And she was insanely tempted to sleep until death came for her.

Hiei's throat closed, he didn't want her to leave him. She listened to him, welcomed his silence, she made him feel as though he belonged. Ki had melted the heart he thought was as cold as the ice maidens who threw him to his death. She had become his light in the dark, his salvation from the world that seamed to hate him. A hoarse cry ripped from his throat as he finally reasoned with himself. The onna who had become his world was dying in his arms.

And he loved her.

"DON'T YOU DARE LEAVE ME NOW ONNA!" Hiei roared, rocking her back and forth in his arms. His sanity falling apart as demons saw Kiriai's dead form and put two and two together. Most fled with others chasing them down. "Onna don't quit on me now. You have to finish what you started! Onna! Do you hear me damn it! Don't you dare fucking die on me!"

Ki forced herself from the blissful peace that had filled her mind. Hiei's voice slowly reached her. He was shouting. Why? Hiei never shouted, and it took even longer for his threats to process in her dim mind. The more Hiei shouted, the more awake she became.

"You're my soul mate. Don't leave me now, not after you're finally found me." Hiei's voice cracked as it lowered in volume. "I love you Okibi Dokuja, Queen of the Dragons, Princess of Hell, Shein. Whatever the hell you call yourself. Aishiteru you damn spawn of Satan."

"Hiei."

Ki groaned, pain bombarding her senses as she focussed her now fully awake mind on her mate. "I'm not going anywhere, promise."

"Ki." Hiei breathed, heart lifting as her pain filled eyes bored into his.

She smiled weakly, "Heh, you finally said my name."

"Baka onna." Hiei grunted, standing slowly while cradling Ki in his arms. He saw her gaze flick around them, alarmed and searching. "She's dead. I killed her." Ki's gaze returned to Hiei's face and relaxed. Hiei started to recover emotionally as he headed for the medical tent.

"Thank kami." Ki sighed eyes closing as she laid her head against Hiei's chest.

"If you ever scare me like that again, I'll kill you myself." Hiei growled protectively not taking his gaze from Ki's face as he made quick progress to the medical tent. Dragon demons everywhere opened a path and cleared it of bodies silently as Hiei went. Their speechless gazes fixed on Ki.

Ki opened one eye to glare at Hiei, "Hn." She watched the barest of smiles pull at Hiei's lips before consciousness fled her.

Alarm rose within Hiei as Ki fell limp in his arms, "Onna!" No response. He ran for the medical tent as fast as his tired body would carry him.

Yukina was the first to see Hiei and her own crimson eyes widened with alarm as she caught sight of Ki. Wordlessly she motioned for Hiei to lay Ki on a bed and instructed Hiei to remove Ki's armor. The koorime handed Hiei a roll of bandages, "Wrap her wrist quickly." Hiei didn't comment on the sudden change of Yukina's attitude. She became completely absorbed with the task of stabilizing Ki.

Hiei found himself waiting anxiously as Yukina finished cleaning the wounds on Ki's back and wrapping them tightly. Hiei gently rolled Ki over as instructed and stayed silent as Yukina's glowing palms touched the wound on Ki's belly. Hiei held a rag against Ki's side thanking the gods Ki had a strong heart.

Yukina's shocked gasp made the fire demon jump and stare at her nervously, "Nan-"

"She's with child." Hiei's jaw slackened as he gapped at Yukina wordlessly. "Call for Kurama Hiei, maybe we can save it." Hiei did as he was told, mentally calling out for the fox demon. Within minutes Kurama appeared next to Yukina covered in the blood of his patients.

"What's her condition?"

"Heavy blood loss, stab wounds to the side and lower stomach. Cuts across her back, head trama." Yukina rattled off immediately. "Kurama she's with child."

Kurama nodded, suddenly worried for not only Ki's life, but Hiei's mental safety as well. He knew the fire demon was not taking this well. "Hiei go outside the tent." The fire demon was still in shock, nodding numbly, he left the tent without another word.

He looked around him, watching the hell hounds take off after the retreating army. Dead bodies laying around, the gory wounded groaning calling out for help, even death. Survivors haul their comrades to their feet and limp together toward the medical tent. Hiei started to help, killing only the demons that had no chance of survival. Stacking bodies, occasionally looting them through habit. Stripping armor and weapons from corpses and throwing them into a raging fire. There were simply to many dead to bury.

Hours later Yusuke, heavily bandaged himself found Hiei looking for survivors on the battle field. "Hiei." Crimson eyes locking on him instantly. "Yukina and Kurama have done all they can and sent Ki to Spirit World hospital because they are overflowing at the medical tent. They've stabalized her and bandaged her up the best they could. They said if she lives through the night then she'll make it."

Twenty minutes later Hiei forced the doctors to let him in Ki's room and was sitting next to her hospital bed silently. Ignoring the doctors and nurses that came in and out of the room rapidly. Shouting at each other and constantly glancing at the screens next to Ki's bed to check her status. Slowly the number of nurses and doctors dwindled as more and more patients were admitted to the hospital.

Minutes gave way to hours, and Hiei simply sat next to Ki. Letting the time drift by as though he wasn't apart of it, wasn't affected by it. Seiyoku wandered into the room, bandaged up herself.

"Hiei, she's going to get through this. You can leave her side to get bandaged up." Seiyoku said softly, gently putting a hand on Hiei's shoulder.

"Hn."

Sieyoku smiled lightly at the typical Hiei answer to everything. "She's strong, and I know she won't leave any of us without a fight. Especially you. And what do you think she's going to do when she wakes up and finds you covered in her blood and all sorts of wounds?" Sieyoku pressed trying to get Hiei to at least take care of himself.

"We'll watch over her Hiei."

Hiei glared at Sukobi from the corner of his eye and stiffened as Seiyoku tensed behind him. "Sukobi, Ki-chan was right, you are looking like an old man."

Sukobi frowned, "Shud up you hag, your only a few years younger then me!" Seiyoku looked as though she was about to slap him and marched to stand squarely up to her older brother. "You know you really scared me, your energy just vanished from everyone's radar. No one could find you, it was like you died. And until a few days ago when I Ki had found me, I truly believed you were dead."

Seiyoku's glare faded and she hugged her brother fiercely. "You know what, this is why I hate you sometimes. You know exactly what to say to get me to forgive you."

Hiei watched the pair dolefully, uneasy with the prospect of leaving Ki with them. But as the rest of the gang slowly filled the room he became more at ease. He was lucky that Yukina offered on the spot bandaging for him, so he would only have to go as far as the bathroom to get fixed up.

A unsettling calm filled the room as the night wore on, several nurses had to come in to force the guests away, some back into their own rooms for the night. Hiei glared murderously at every nurse or doctor that tried to usher him out of the room. And they reluctantly let him stay once finding out he was Ki's mate. A few of the more sentimental nurses worked up the courage to tell him that the child had not survived the battle. It was only two or three weeks old. Not old enough for Ki to even know about it yet.

Ki slipped into a coma later that night, starting a long wait for all of those who cared about her. Three weeks drifted by slowly, Hiei eventually vacating his seat next to Ki's bed for the window seat that doubled as his bed. At least twice Seiyoku had gotten in a shouting mach with Shiin and Sukobi out side of Ki's room. And twice she had been kicked out of the hospital close to tears, Kishin limping after her sending threatening glares at Shiin and Sukobi. Tension was high in the hospital as demons came and went, visiting or being released. Demons coming to check up on their friends, or to collect their bodies if they died in surgery or in their sleep.

Hiei shifted his gaze to Ki's still form. The nurses had removed all but two iv's from her body, they fought with Hiei telling him that they where giving Ki healing agents to help her along and feed her. He watched as Ki's face started to twitch, a small grimace crossing her features and her fingers clenching and unclenching on the air, like she was reaching for her sword. Hiei moved to sit in the chair next to her bed and took one of Ki's hands. He slipped into her mind, hoping she was awake enough for him to reach her at last.

He slipped into the familiar maze of passages that held their own doors to different aspects of Ki's mind. This time, instead of Ki's mental form coming to Hiei, a eight year old version of the dragon demon walked out of a door and looked at Hiei expectantly with her head tilted to the side.

"Who are you?"

Hiei raised an eyebrow at the child, "Hiei, who are you?"

"Well, I was hoping you would tell me that." The eight year old replied looking bored and disappointed, "Will you play a game with me?"

_'What is going on?' _Hiei thought, deciding it was best to play along he agreed with the child. "Only if you can tell me if there is a onna a little shorter then me with your eyes and black hair around here."

The child grinned, "I'll tell ya if you catch me!" she took off leaving Hiei behind glaring after her. He growled and raced after the child, hesitating a second when she ran through a wall.

He stared incredulously at the wall, putting a hand against it and frowning darkly when it was solid. How did the kid go through solid wall? A door behind him opened, and a young teenage image of Ki came through it. She smiled sadistically at Hiei, eyes glowing with mischief and the glint of a child who was forced to learn about the ugly side of life fast and hard.

"There you are Hiei, I was starting to think you had gotten lost." She said easily, stance suggesting she was ready for a fight.

"Hn." Hiei grunted tensing, ready for whatever she threw at him.

She lunged at him, trying to catch him around the middle. Hiei sidestepped quickly and jabbed her in the side. She recovered easily, rolling to her feet only a few inches away from the place where Hiei had hit her. They sparred back and forth without track of time. Hiei slowly realized that he was not tiring, loosing no strength and feeling as though he had just woken from a nap. The teen on the other hand aged quickly as they fought. Her fighting style becoming more pronounced and each cut grew more accurate. Her speed increasing as she grew more skilled. When she reached her early twenties, she looked the same as the Ki Hiei knew. But her eyes kept changing. Showing growth, maturity, hurt, confusion, elation, different emotions and feelings as they went.

She produced a sword as she kicked away from Hiei and stood in front of him, pointing at him with the tip of her sword, "I've come up with a name for myself Hiei. It's Okibi Dokuja now. Blazing fire, and poisonous serpent. What do you think?"

Hiei blinked slowly, "It fits you."

Okibi looked pleased, though her eyes held the look of someone who has fought and killed a lot. Hiei drew his own sword and held Okibi off, losing his balance for a second when the passageway changed. Now he was in a bright room, the floor was a mass of wooden poles stuck upright into the ground. Okibi lunged forward seeing the opening. Hiei reacted with the instinct of one who has fought with a sword for many years and deflected her thrust as he regained his balance.

Now the Okibi he faced was battle hardened and fought with the intent to kill. Well seasoned in the art of killing and fighting, speed and agility used perfectly as Okibi drove him backwards and in circles, fighting now with two swords that Hiei recognized. The same ones Satan had returned to her from his vault. Hiei was forced to call upon every trick he had learned and every survival instinct he had to keep up with her. The poles on the floor were becoming fewer and further apart. Some with spiked tips now.

Hiei and Okibi stopped on opposite sides of the room, swords held loose in their grips, but ready to attack or defend in a heart beat. Okibi's eyes were cold, hardened to protect herself. But with an edge of weariness, like someone who has done so much in a short amount of time and was not proud of everything they had done. One who was simply looking for the end, or for new reason. She smiled grimly at him now.

"Unfortunately this is the end of our fight Hiei. The master is awake enough to take care of you now."

"Nani?" Hiei started, as Okibi faded away from before him. The room faded too and he was back in the dimly lit passage where he had begun. He growled irritated and looked around, trying to figure out which way to go.

"You're in my head uninvited again Hiei." Ki said lightly from behind him. Looking more amused then irritated to find Hiei within her mind without invitation. "Is there a reason as to why you're here, or are you going to go through my memories again?" Hiei blinked realizing she was teasing.

"It's hard to ask for permission from someone in a coma, onna." Hiei stated bluntly, watching the light humor drain from Ki's face instantly.

"A coma?" She looked nervous, "Very few people come out of a coma Hiei. How long have I been out?"

"Three weeks, onna you're going to come out of the coma. Medicine is different now then it used to be." Hiei said sternly taking Ki's hand. "And I'm going to take you out of it now." Ki raised an eye brow at him but let him pull her along.

Hiei slammed back into his own mind as Ki woke up, screaming curses as she did so. Nurses flooded into the room followed by a doctor who was passing the room by chance. They fought with Ki, trying to keep her down. After biting a nurse who got too close they were more hesitant to try and restrain her, shock or not they weren't to jumpy about keeping her calm.

Hiei growled cursing as he pulled the doctor away and told him to get the nurses away from Ki before they were killed. The doctor looked skeptically at him, when Hiei told him that she was fighting them because they were too close to her. Reluctantly the doctor told the nurses to leave Ki alone and left to check up on his other patients. Leaving the other nurses to take care of the bitten nurse.

Hiei turned around to face a blinking Ki, slowly becoming aware of her surroundings. "What the hell?"

"You're in the hospital onna." Hiei grunted.

Ki frowned eyeing the iv's and monitors next to her with distaste. "Strange hospital." She ripped out the iv's not caring for a second the monitors started going off the same instant. A nurse poked her head back in the room to snap at Ki but held her tongue as Ki found the plug and ripped it out of the wall to turn off the monitors. Then the nurse left deciding to pick her battles that had the outcome of not getting bitten.

Ki winced as a stabbing pain ripped through her stomach and side. "Kiriai's dead right?"

"Hai." Hiei muttered, grief making its self known to him at the thought of their unborn child.

"I tried to talk her out of it," Ki admitted softly staring at the ceiling. "I tried to tell her that we could just forget what had happened and try to get the time taken from us back. You know as siblings. For a moment I think I knew how Yukina felt. Her older brother is out there, and she wants to find him. I don't think it matters to her who he is. As long as she can get to know him and be with him." Hiei flinched as though she had struck him. "But you need to be ready for the bond as well Hiei. So I think she'll wait for it and not go crazy like Kiriai."

"Onna, you need to know something before the others find out you're awake and come in." Hiei muttered, his relationship with Yukina could wait, she needed to know this now. Ki fixed him with a stare that read the grief and nervousness in his face.

Fearing the worst Ki jumped to conclusions, "Did someone die?"

Hiei grimaced, "Onna, you were with child during the fight. The nurses say it was only a few weeks old so you wouldn't have known about it. The wound to your stomach killed it." Ki stared at him, numb, she had lost a child?

Ki put a hand on her belly as though feeling for the child that was not there. "I was pregnant?" Ki asked softly, as if daring to believe she had lost a child before he was even born.

Hiei nodded slowly, not sure how to approach the situation. But was soon saved the responsibility as Seiyoku practically flew into the room, obviously having heard everything from outside the door and pulled Ki into a comforting hug. Ki hugged her oldest friend back, burying her face into the familiar shoulder sobbing silently and unashamed. Kishin entered the room as well and put a hand on Hiei's shoulder, remaining silent because he to did not know what to say.

Ki escaped from the hospital a week later, sick of doctors and nurses trying to be sympathetic and trying to keep her in her room as her wounds continued to heal. No one but Seiyoku and Kishin knew about Ki's reaction to her child's death, but everyone knew of it. It had spread first among the Shape Shifters and Hell Hounds before it had gotten around to the entire makai and even Hell.

Hiei was worried about Ki's health, she had recovered from Kiriai's wounds though they were still angry red marks on her skin that caused her pain. The gash on her thigh gave her a small limp in her step, but it didn't stop her from throwing herself into her work. Arguing with Koenma constantly over the rights of her people and with Mukuro over how much land was hers again. Yusuke and Yomi were present during the disputes over land and Yusuke was supportive of Ki, while Yomi remained stubbornly neutral. Koenma was present to act as a third party and Shiin was there to keep Ki from attacking Mukuro when she mentioned tender subjects like the child and her sister. Sukobi had taken to popping in on the Spirit Detectives to harass Seiyoku and Ki, while managing to flirt with the other females present at the same time. He also was the only connection to the Shape Shifters while Ki was still healing and filled her in on the comings and goings of the people. The dragon demons had come out of the battle with very few casualties and more wounded then the other armies. Many of the casualties were when they had been taken back to Koumajatsu and hadn't arrived in time to be healed. Roiyaru and Hakari had become permanent fixtures around the mansion, one of them were always close to Ki. Roiyaru had been elected to be Ki's body guard of sorts. But kept his distance when Ki needed it, and she was grateful for his ability to tell when she needed it. Hiei had come to a mutual truce with Roiyaru as well, but didn't like him being so close to his mate whenever Hiei walked into the room.

Hiei gave Roiyaru a dark stare but said nothing as he entered the living room, searching it to find his mate dozing off in the love seat. He wondered briefly how she could doze with Yusuke and Kuwabara bickering over their video game. Hakari was talking with his aunt, trying to find out as much as he could about her before Ki moved back to Koumajatsu.

"Should she be sleeping so much Hiei?" Kieko asked, bluntly not caring how much the fire demon disliked her. Kieko had become quickly attached to Ki, as had Boton, Shizuru and Yukina.

"Pain takes a lot out of a person." Hiei grunted simply, silently taking Ki into his arms and moving to the window seat. Ki cracked open an eye to give Hiei a mock glare.

"I was comfortable." Ki mumbled snuggling into Hiei's warmth as he sat her in his lap, staring at the room with slight interest.

"Hn." Ki smiled a little, _'How you could sleep with the baka's bickering is beyond me.'_ Hiei grunted in her head silently, glad to hold her in his arms.

_'It's a talent.'_ "Looks like everyone's here." Ki ticked off the names of the demons and humans in the room. Hakari was talking with Seiyoku and Kishin. Kieko, and Shizuru were scolding Yusuke and Kuwabara. Kurama was reading in a corner while Roiyaru looked uncomfortable talking with Boton who had cornered him, Yukina trying to get Boton to back off while avoiding her own interest in Roiyaru. Sukobi was making obscene gestures at Ki from across the room, almost electing a child's response from her. _'Where's Shiin?'_

Hiei grunted again not caring where the dragon demon had gotten off to, but groaned as said demon thundered into the room followed by Eric's son Ryouken* and another hell hound. "Ki, Lady Selena's gone into labor. She's requested your presence."

Ki snorted, "She demanded it didn't she?" Shiin nodded, looking thoroughly stressed enough by the turn of events in Hell.

"Please just come." Shiin pleaded not caring they had an audience. He really didn't want to be scolded by a hormone raged woman in labor if he came back to slow for her liking. Ki nodded and got out of Hiei's lap a little reluctantly and followed Shiin through a portal, Hiei close behind her.

They arrived in the hallway outside of her parents chambers, Satan looking just as stressed as Shiin as he paced outside the door nervously. Flinching each time Selena screamed curses at him from the other side of the door. He looked at Ki regretfully, "If you're planning on going in, which you should, watch out, she's throwing things around in there." On cue the sound of glass shattering on the door punctuated Satan's sentence.

Ki raised an eye brow at the door listening to her mother's curses, slightly shocked with the language coming out of the room. "'Blessing my ass, Satan I'm going to kill you for this?' Sounds like she's been going at it for a couple of hours now."

"A few minutes." Satan shot back, "Already been kicked out of the room for my own safety. She doesn't take long to get through labor. You were only forty five minutes of labor to go through. Shoot if I could recreate this into a form of punishment, I wouldn't have anymore demons coming to hell because they would all become saints up there to avoid this." Satan groaned pointing up to the ceiling, really meaning the living.

"So that's why the hell hounds are here then." Ki shook her head and opened the door, leaving a nervous Hiei out in the hallway with her father and Shiin.

Satan turned on Hiei, "So, how's it going son?"

Hiei glared at Satan accusingly but didn't rise to the bait. "Are dragon demon labors that short?"

Shiin chuckled dryly, "Oh hell no. They are known to be some of the longest every recorded. I think the longest was a week." Hiei paled, "I know." Shiin said reading the dread and shock on Hiei's face. "But the kid matures faster at least. Less diaper time."

"I think she's almost done." Satan said, ear to the door that was now silent on the other side. "How did Okibi react to her loss, son?"

"Tender subject. Don't mention it if you want to live." Hiei grunted, not really wanting to go there himself now. "Don't call me son!"

"Why not? You're my daughter's mate, and her soul mate on top of that." Satan said shrugging, "You've made her happier then I ever remember seeing her, and I was always watching her from down here. Not that she'll admit that out loud. Or even mentally for that matter." Satan drifted off in thought before shaking himself, "And at some point I was considering making you my heir when you died, for the heck of it. Mostly because I know Ki doesn't want the job. She wants her freedom and I think she's earned it."

They way Satan had said it so casually almost made Hiei forget the seriousness of what he was saying. It was almost as though they had been talking about the plot line for some ningen soap opera.

"It's safe to come in now." Ki called, cradling her baby brother in her arms. He had already been cleaned of blood and birth fluids, and had been smothered by Selena.

The men hesitantly entered the room, Hiei gathering his wits about him first and leading Satan and Shiin in after him. Hiei's glared softened when he caught sight of Ki cooing softly to her baby brother. Satan grinned at the sight, sitting on the bed next to his mate, who punched him immediately before leaning against him.

"Well what are you going to name him?" Selena asked curiously, watching her eldest daughter show a side of herself she never knew existed.

Ki hadn't really thought about it much since she was told that she would be allowed to name her brother, "Gouka*, Kato*." Ki said in thinking of the future ahead. Nothing as going to be the same. No son or daughter of hell was bound by a family name yet, nor had one ever been picked. So her brother would get his own name.

"Welcome to hell Gouken Kato." Shiin greeted as the baby was passed in front of him.

"Kato, I think that's appropriate." Satan mused as he took his son from Ki, "But Shiin, I've been meaning to ask you. Isn't it ironic that your soul mate is a ferry girl to the dead, and you're dead?"

Hiei chuckled as Shiin sputtered, at a loss for the irony in the relationship. Ki rested her head on Hiei's shoulder, as she watched Kato be passed to Shiin next. Hiei wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her close knowing she was thinking of her own lost child.

_'I wonder if the dream I had when Kiriai captured me was more of a promise of what is to come should we let time go.'_ Ki mused thoughtfully, inwardly laughing at Hiei's discomfort with holding a newborn.

"You need to support his head Hiei."

Ryouken* - hound

Guoka* - hell fire

Kato* - Changing new to old

The End... sorta

**Hey people, that was the final chapter to _Heaven Doesn't Want Me and Hell's Afraid I'd Take Over _but stay tuned for a little longer so I can get an Author's note out and a Epilogue (sp?)**


	24. Epilogue and Author's Note

Epilogue

"Why the bloody hell do I have to be in this fucking body!" A disfigured voice demanded, "Mouken when I get my hands on you-"

Mouken growled dangerously and turned on the distorted form of a dead soldier. A dead vampire he bred, "Urusai onna, I'm working. And you can't get your hands on me anyway, you're body is in lock up, where it will stay preserved until it heals."

The demon bared her teeth at Mouken, "And why can't you heal it like you did yourself?"

Mouken grabbed the demon by the throat, last nerve snapping angrily. "You're damn lucky that you're my soul mate you know that?" The left side of his face was covered in bloody bandages, where a Hell Hound managed to savage his face before he could kill it. "I didn't have to go to the battle field and recover your body. Nor did I have to spend months tracking down your soul before one of the ferry girls spotted it."

The demon was turning a nasty shade of blue, its host had lost an arm in the battle, and the body wasn't strong enough to throw Mouken off. Mouken snorted and dropped the demon, "How long will it take for my body to heal?"

Mouken shrugged and returned to his computers, logging all of the data collected from the battle. It was a long and tedious process, but he was delighted with the results and wealth of information. "Two or three years, you never were the best at healing yourself. You should be more worried about your soul. It can take more damage from time itself while in that weak body."

"Then get me a new one."

"What kind of demon do you want to be?" Mouken snapped, ready to rip his hair out with the nagging.

"A Hell Hound." Mouken glanced at the stuffed body of the hell hound that had marred his face. It was the chief hell hound from hell. Eric. He had caught up with Mouken as he was retrieving the bodies he wanted. He narrowed his eyes, the hell hound was dead, but that didn't mean he wasn't living in hell unless he had already died. Or did being from hell get a second chance? He still wanted revenge for what Eric had done to his face, the scars where not going to go away anytime soon.

"It's going to take awhile for me to come up with the appropriate body," Mouken mused, the perfect demon coming to mind. He was going to screw over Eric's whole family as revenge. Even if the hell hound wasn't there to watch it himself.

"How long are you talking?" the demon demanded, disgusted with the body it was currently inhabiting. "And it had better not be one of your damn bitches you use to breed."

Mouken back handed the demon to get it to shut up, "Would you shut up already Kiriai. It will take as long as it takes to get the fool of a bitch down here. I want my own revenge, and you'll have to be patient."

Kiriai growled low in her throat but didn't say anything. Once again her older sister had gotten the better end of the deal, she could actually get along with _her soul mate._ Instead, Kiriai was too much like her soul mate and it drove them apart. While at the same time kept them together. It was more of a hate, hate relationship then a love, and hate one.

Inwardly she had already decided to wait, regain her strength and plot her revenge. Kiriai decided it would be a sweater revenge if she let her aneki get used to her new life. One of comfort, everything she wanted of course. Then she would rip it all away from her and laugh as her sister suffered the pain of loss and grief. Losing a child wasn't going to feel anything like what she was planning for Ki. Nothing was going to stop her this time.

**Author's Note:**

**Yeah, I know, short. But I didn't want to give too much away. I am planning a sequel, "yay!"**

**But anyway, this is actually the first story I've actually finished. I start a lot, but then I lose the plot line and it turns into a boat load of crap and it's boring and then I drop it and start on something else. BUT I wasn't sure how to do the ending so thanks guys for the support and good feedback on the ending of this story. I read every review and sometimes I laugh, but I take them a seriously. So if you still wanna review or criticize, go ahead. I wanna know YOUR opinion on it.**

**Thanks to all of you who subscribed, and favorited, I know who you are, cuz Fanfiction told me. Even though you didn't review it helped to know that at least some one was reading it. And special thanks to all of you who reviewed consistently: Kaori Minamino, dragonwingedangel, Tears of a Dark Moon, of Heaven and Hell, some anon person, Rachaeltje, PotassiumChloride, OoOlady heatherOoO, Gesshoku2, edward shines, Zegg, and blackrose4ever. And all of you who review after this, **

**Thank you and I love you in a author to reader kind of way!**

**Because you listened to my drabble here's a sneak peak to the next story, (no name decided yet, if you have an idea tell me! Going to be a YusukeOC based fic)**

Prologue

"Hey, come on Seiei!" A demon with deep red hair shouted over his shoulder. They were part of a group of bounty hunters that took advantage of the sudden surge of wanted demons for war crimes. Dead or alive it didn't matter, so long as they collected the bounty and kept their own wanted member away from those who would turn her in.

The rest of their group had gone ahead to clear the path and get them out of the burning building that was collapsing around their ears. They had finished another successful hunt and were bring back the prey alive.

"Urusai!" Seiei shouted back clutching her shoulder in pain. Not that she would admit it but her shoulder was distracting her and she felt a weird presence behind her. "Ichi-" She was cut off as a hand covered her mouth. Survival instincts kicking in she grabbed her attacker's arm and slammed her him into his. As he fell forward she pulled hard on his arm rolling her shoulder and bending at the waist to get him over.

He landed hard on the ground with a low grunt of pain and shock. "Bastard who do you think you are?" She growled pouncing on his fallen form. Her claws pricking his neck in warning.

"Your new master!" Seiei was thrown back from the force of her attacker's kick and slammed into a wall. Her friend ahead of her heard the crash and spun around alarmed.

"Seiei!" He charged her assailant furious, ready to kill to protect his friend.

"Ichigo* the building's about to collapse! Get out of here!" Seiei shouted in warning, reaching blindly for a weapon of some sort. She couldn't change here, it would only confuse her.

Ichigo ignored her as he ran straight for the attacker. Just as Ichigo jumped for his target, the assailant jumped for Seiei and wrestled a collar onto her neck punching her shoulder to get her to drop her arm briefly. They wrestled more as the ceiling started to cave in. Hot burning scaffolding nearly crushed her as she kicked her attacker off of her briefly, rolling away from the danger.

The roof groaned loudly and Seiei glanced up at it worriedly, then her gave shifted to Ichigo who was circling the new demon from behind. He was close to a window and it wasn't that far of a drop to the ground. Seiei thoughts whirled trying find a way out for Ichigo and her self.

_'Damn it how do I- the window!' _Without thinking Seiei grabbed a piece of fallen scaffolding and with strength born from desperation threw it at Ichigo. At the last moment before it hit him she screamed his name.

"Ichigo!" His head whirled around to focus on her and brought his arms up as the wood slammed into his body and sent him flying out of the window. He grunted in pain as he hit the ground hard, glass shattering around him and cutting his face and back. It took him a minute to throw the wood off of him and get to his feet, ready to run straight back into the house and help Seiei fight off the demon.

Before he could even start forward the house groaned and started to come down. "Seiei!" He yelled at the building, as the roof finally caved into its self. He stood there shocked beyond words, but shock was soon over come by anger and fear as he raced into the wreckage. Ripping up rubble, ignoring the blisters that where forming on his hands, threw it anywhere that wasn't in his way. Searching with a mad ferocity that couldn't be described, following the unmistakable sent of Seiei.

"Seiei come on I know you couldn't die from this! Your better then this!" Ichigo roared ripping up more planks to find a hole in the ground. "Seiei!"

He waited a second and barely heard her voice calling out to him. Not sure if it was real or his imagination Ichigo worked to widen the whole until it was wide enough for him to get through and jumped into it.

"Ichigo!" There! Ichigo knew he heard her voice this time. With renewed vigor, he hit the bottom he took off ignoring the brief pain that shot through his legs with the rough landing.

Ichigo didn't run far before he caught sight of Seiei struggling weakly with her now captor as he started to drag her toward a portal. She was coughing hard, smoke had gotten into her lungs and she couldn't think straight enough to try and change.

"Seiei!" He growled launching his body at the pair, desperately hoping her could get to them before she was taken away first. The captor turned his head to grin maliciously at Ichigo before giving a mock salute and walking through the portal, dragging Seiei with him. The portal closed just as Ichigo reached it, and his body slammed into the wall unable to stop.

"Seiei!" he pounded at the wall furious and knowing he failed. Familiar voices behind him captured his attention behind him before he placed names with the voices and turned back to pounding away at the wall. Two demons ran into the cavern, the third stooped extremely low so he could fit his height and bulk in the tunnel. The other two, twins, knelt on either side of him and grabbed his arms, hoisting him up and pulling him onto their shoulders.

"Come on Ichigo, lets have Tiny take a look at you." One of the twins murmured. Tiny looked up at the sound of his nickname and frowned.

"I'm stuck." He stated plainly. The demons in front of him couldn't help but chuckle at their giant sized friend. His nickname was Tiny because he was so massive in size. But he had a heart of gold under the pure muscle and raw strength. "Ichigo, you are going to have to wait until we get to the van so I can heal you and bandage your wounds. Kyuuketsuki* Donpachi*, you should help him up as soon as I can get myself free."

"Right Val, whatever you say." Donpachi grumbled, he was the only one in the group, except for Seiei on occasions that called the giant Valentine, his true name or anything close to it. He and his twin where a full head and shoulders short then Val and though not a bulkishly bulk could produce just as much strength together if needed to mach Val's.

As Val squirmed trying to get his broad shoulders free, Ichigo suddenly spoke up. "Seiei was kidnapped. I-I couldn't do anything. She knocked me out of the window as the building caved and when I found her." Ichigo's voice cracked, "I couldn't do anything! I was useless to help her!"

Donpachi rolled his eyes and elbowed Ichigo harshly in the side, "Urusai baka. Your sniveling is going to give me a head ace. So what if she got away now. As soon as you're ready we'll hunt her down and get her back unless she beats us to it by getting away. We are bounty hunters after all. We'll find her sooner or later. And she's not exactly helpless."

"I think Ichigo is taking this too hard need should loosen up, or should I knock him out?" Kyuuketsuki chirped earning a grunt from both Ichigo and Donpachi. "Come on Don, you agree with me right?"

Don grunted slapping his brother in the back of the head, "No baka, because then we'll have to haul him up the tunnel as dead weight. Think things through first Vlad."

"Alright, I'm out, send him up!" Val called down the tunnel. The twins nodded to each other, ignoring Ichigo's ranting they hauled him roughly up through the tunnel and dragged him to the van.

Their captured demon narrowed his eyes at the group, but couldn't say anything. His bonds and gag prevented him from moving and speaking. Ichigo gave it a dirty look as Val took a look at his injuries. Forcing Ichigo to take off his shirt, Val's hands glowed pale green as he ran fingers over the cuts. They sealed up almost instantly as Val used his healing abilities to mend the wounds. The various bruising faded, though didn't quite vanish. Ichigo winced as Val found a broken rip and applied pressure, mending crack to the best of his ability. It was left bruised as Val moved onto Ichigo's face, mending the cuts and bruises there.

When he was done he let Ichigo put his shirt back on and continue beating himself up over Seiei's capture. "We'll get her back Red, nothing will get in our way. We'll follow through on every lead, every time you catch her sent. Anything that sounds like her, we'll find her."

"Because we're the best at what we do, duh!" Vlad cackled from the passenger seat, grinning maniacally at their captive.

Ichigo smiled, "I know."

Ichigo* - strawberry

Kyuuketsuki* - blood sucker, vampire

Donpachi* - the firing of guns


	25. NEW AUTHORS NOTE! IMPORTANT

**Hey all there are some things I want to say.**

**[1] The Sequil is finally here!!! 'From Dragons to Hell Hounds' the first chapter is up so go check it out after you read this!**

**The prologue is different now so don't skip over that, it's important, seriously totally new look on it if you started reading the first version which I took down due to my own confusion and it's overall crappiness. (No way it could follow up this story!)**

**[2] Reviews will be critical to me in this next one. It will help me work out an ending. Still toying with that but I know where I want it to go overall. Narrowing it down as I write of course. Reveiws will be important becuase I'm going to be writing in a way I don't normall do, so it will be new to me and you guys will have to be the ones to make sure it doesn't get to awkward for me. I tend to miss those things as the author. **

**[3] Feel free to ask questions and whatever. I will answer them as best I can without giving away too much of the story line. Sorry no free spoilers. **

**[4] I know there are people still reading this, becuase FanFiction keeps sending me emails so 'n so has favorited my story. Well then, that mean you all need to catch up with the senior readers and start giving me your opinions!**

**[5] Now what are you guys waiting around here for GO GO GO GO GO!!!**


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